A Dream is reality in your head
by mandymld
Summary: When in a coma,what someone believes is reality,isn't. When they wake up & PC isn't what they believe, everyone fills them in on how they had twisted all that really happened and changed things to suit themselves. Warning, Spencer & U-NO-Who bashing.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was a little plot bunny that grew into a jackrabbit, but here is the first part. I should be posting daily since it is completely written.

A Dream is your reality in your head.

Chapter 1

_Sam looked into Jason's eyes, then smugly said "Yes, I will marry you."_

_When he just nodded then handed her the ring box, she smirked then let the smile fall when she realized it wasn't the ring she had been expecting. When she placed it on her hand, she reached out, took his and placed it on her stomach. "Can you feel it, can you feel our child growing?"_

_Before he answered in what she was sure would be happiness, there was a sudden rapping at the door then Carly entered the penthouse. "Jason, I need you. Jax, Jax has given Brenda control of Crimson, please you have to get her out of town... you promised, after you saved her, she would leave."_

"_Carly, we just got engaged, do you think maybe, just maybe you can give us one night without having to deal with your issues?" hissed Sam more than a bit fed up with the constant interruptions if it wasn't Spinelli it was Sonny or Brenda or Carly, the list just went on and on and on, well no more... Now that she had Jason by the balls, things were going to change and first thing was that he had to start putting his family, her and their child over this annoying whining bitch._

"_Sam, no matter how many kids you have, Michael and we will always, and I mean ALWAYS come first." she stated then when Jason who had gone up to get his jacket from the bed, told Sam he wasn't sure when he would be back. _

_Alone in the penthouse, Sam paced back and forth, this, this had to change and she knew if she didn't put her foot down now, Carly would be running their lives forever. Grabbing her own coat, she left the house, heading straight for Kelly's where she knew Micheal had been hanging out according to her sister. She would get what she wanted through the kid._

_Playing on the boy's sympathies, she soon had him on her side even as they walked to the door. When she saw Elizabeth coming in, struggling to get all three of her children in the door, looking ragged, Sam made a point of announcing that Jason had given her an engagement ring. _

_When the woman flinch, then shook her head at Sam, she smiled back and said "And we are expecting Jason's first child, isn't that wonderful."_

_There were shots, loud and close by... looking up. Sam saw Elizabeth on the ground, her children bleeding as the woman curled up in a ball. Feeling the sting in her shoulder, Sam at first just swore, then felt something clench... then darkness...falling... water? Water...sirens...? _

Sam stretched, she could feel the medical equipment and then felt her stomach. When she could feel how rounded it was, she smiled a bit while wondering where Jason was and how long she had been unconscious. Reaching for the call bell, she pushed the button and when that overweight nurse showed up requested water in a scratchy voice.

Epiphany held the water cup for Sam then said "I will let Dr. Drake know you are awake.

Grinning as she watched the woman leave, Sam saw the crazy Dr. Niles in the hallway and smirked, she hoped that the blond managed to make Robin's life miserable, she had never forgotten that the woman had kissed Jason when he lost his memory. She had had no right none at all to be touching Jason like that.

When Patrick entered the room along with Kelly Lee, Sam felt her smile widen then said "How long was I asleep and where is Jason?"

His eyes narrowing a bit, Patrick said "We have to ask you some questions first. Do you have any idea of the date?"

Calculating that she looked about three months pregnant, Sam said "I think it should be close to the end of the year, am I right?"

"We are in the end of October." replied Patrick. "The year."

"2010." she said then saw him frown. "What, isn't that right?"

Just looking at Kelly Lee he kept his expression neutral said "Yes, it is correct. What is the last thing you remember?"

"Jason and I got engaged and I had just informed him about our child." she said then saw the frown again. "What is it? Where is Jason? Where is the father of my child?"

Frowning because she had been in a coma, pregnant with his child and Jason still hadn't put her first, Sam demanded to speak to him. "Sam, we need to speak about a few things first. Now, I need you to tell me what you can recall from... say when you were shot at the Metrocourt?"

Giving him a list, leaving out certain things, she saw him nodding until she got to the Black and White Ball. Then he frowned a bit then asked "Okay, now go into a little more detail about what happened after that point?"

"The shootout?" she asked a bit surprised. "Okay, as I was saying, Lucky and I had an argument with Elizabeth in the barn, then we went to the house, freed Nik then went looking for this Anthony guy. Emily was dead, Nik freaked out."

As she went on, he just took out a note pad and made a few notes. "Broader strokes again..."

She covered her hit and run, Monica confessing, her magnanimously forgiving the woman. Her trip with Lucky to Mexico, then the drugs and the Russians, saving Jake. The Toxic ball, the hospital burning down, Kristina getting beaten, her saving her sister and Michael in Mexico, with Jason at her side. The agency with Spinelli... the carnival with the Mayors wife... then Claudia... Jason and Michael going to jail, Franco... Lisa Niles, she all but bragged about the Nik and Elizabeth and Lucky triangle, never seeing Kelly Lee's shock then she added about Brenda Barrett then the Balkan coming to town. Then finally how she was pregnant and how Jason had proposed the moment he found out.

"Okay Sam, now with your pregnancy we have to run some tests." said Kelly Lee, avoiding looking at her patient. "Are you up to doing so?"

"Is everything okay with my child?" she asked a bit worried. Without the baby, she would have to start all over again with Jason thanks to the time she had lost. At least she wouldn't have to worry about Elizabeth Webber or that little brat Jake, she thought to herself.

Kelly told her she could talk to whoever she wanted when they returned, then promised Patrick she would drag out the tests long enough to give them other doctor time enough to warn people.

Alexis rushed into GH, looking around, she sighed as she saw Kristina ignoring her yet again as she entered a familiar looking hospital room. Hurrying to the hub, she said "Dr. Drake requested I come by today."

"Miss Davis, he is waiting for you in the conference room." stated Epiphany then went back to her paperwork. Alexis entered the large room with the table then sat down halfway through what Patrick had to say.

"What do we do now?" she asked not sure what there was to even say or do. "I mean, we can't tell her, not without her endangering the baby."

"We play along, for now." said Patrick they had already laid the groundwork for that when Kelly and he had realized Sam was in her own reality.

Alexis wasn't sure this would work, but for her grandchild's sake she hoped so. "What does the tests say?"

Kelly entered then wearily sat down. "That the baby is doing fine. I am just concerned about how she is going to take the news. She is already planning the baby's room in that penthouse."

Patrick shook his head, then stood and told Alexis. "What do you think Sam is going to do when she learns the truth about where Jason is?"

"Hopefully that won't be until long after this child is safe." replied Alexis as she hoped they got through the next five weeks. "Maybe I should offer to take her to Sonny's cabin. I can call and see if he would be willing..."

"No, with her medical issues, that isn't plausible." replied Kelly regretfully. "Patrick we might have to get Morgan here; ask him to play along. Do you think you can talk to Mac, see if he can arrange it?"

The next four weeks leading up to December were a bitch for the two doctors and Alexis. Sam kept demanding to see Jason, demanding to be let out of the hospital even demanding to speak to Spinelli who they couldn't produce. Finally, they convinced her she had had a virus and as soon as it had passed and when it was safe for the baby...

She had calmed down just a bit, not much but at least kept her demands to a minimum. They had brought her copies of baby catalog books, Crimson magazine, lots of little things to keep her occupied and hopefully from realizing something was up.

Then December 15th it all fell apart...

Sam had overheard that nurse telling Monica that Jason was due that afternoon and while she had let everyone think she was behaving, she had decided her child should be there when Monica and he talked . After all he or she was a Morgan/Quartermaine/Cassadine.

She had asked for a wheelchair, claiming to want to sit at the window and watch the snowfall. Her mother seemed worried as she had Dr. Lee arrange just that. Then Alexis left, the floor soon had minimum staff as most were heading home due to the snowy weather they had been having.

Grabbing the bathrobe Alexis had brought for her, Sam stood, walked to the doorway and slipped down the hall. Once there she waited for the hospital staff to be distracted then slipped onto the elevator and down to the correct floor. Thankfully a large crowd of people she didn't know had gotten on with her so using them for cover, Sam slipped down to an empty room then sat down until she felt better.

Regaining her breath, she frowned a bit. Kelly Lee had warned her that she would feel a little off in her pregnancy as a result of the coma, but she hadn't felt this bad the first time until almost eight months. Sam saw Monica Quartermaine talking to a doctor and Elizabeth's Webber's brother who looked a bit depressed.

Then she saw the blond Dr. Niles, as she went down the hallway with Steven Webber trailing behind her. Looking around she wondered where Robin Scorpio was when she saw Patrick with his little girl.

Sam frowned a bit when she didn't see her sisters with Alexis who was talking to Lainey Winters. She overheard Bobbie talking about celebrating the upcoming holidays alone. Where was Carly? Where was her kids? And most importantly where the heck was Jason?

When she saw Mike Corbin, then Sonny talking to a clearly annoyed Brenda Barrett, Sam was certain Jason had to be coming there or was there. When the red head she knew was the Prosecuting attorney Claire oh, what the heck was her name said something all four of them left as Sam was setting hidden, waiting for the man she knew was coming to see her.

Lulu Spencer talking to Dante then Maxie before snapping at them both and heading to the elevator. Dismissing the blond, she moved on to who else she saw ignoring the elevator until she heard the whispering of two nurses gossiping. "Morgan."

Sam smiled, then moved around the plants, wanting to see her fiancee. As she got closer to the elevator, she heard someone say Micheal's name and how he had been gone. Her smile slipped a bit, but she thought about it, well she HAD BEEN in a coma, maybe it had bothered him too much to be sitting by her bedside, maybe he had been too upset like when she had been shot.

Well now she was awake and Elizabeth the slut Webber was surely dead along with those brats of hers. Finally, there was only ten feet between Jason and her. Sam started to call out his name when the person in front of him in the elevator moved and Sam, Sam stared, in disbelief.

"NO!" Everyone turned to where Sam was standing, shouting the words no, no, no, no, until it sounded like a chant. Patrick frowned and handed his daughter to Epiphany while Kelly Lee groaned then moved forward while looking for Alexis Davis who had walked down the hall with Lainey.

Sam stopped shouting, then glared at the man standing across the way then at the woman and the two little boys with her. Finally she looked back at the man carrying the baby, the baby that was looking straight at her with very familiar blue eyes. A baby that was supposed to be Nicolas Cassadine's but clearly was Jason Morgan's.

"Sam, now is not the time." said Alexis moving forward only to be shoved out of the way by the enraged woman as she pushed her way to where Jason was standing looking at her with distaste.

"How can you do this to me? To our child?" she asked. "How could you cheat on me again? After all I have done for you? All I have given up to be with you? How much I put up with that bitch you call a best friend? That stupid kid that is going to grow up to be a serial killer?"

Reaching out, she grasped his hand, thankfully his other arm was strong enough to support Adrianna when she placed his hand on her stomach and said "Can't you feel it, our child, growing inside of me? Please, Jason, tell me, tell me that this isn't true. That you didn't take back this slut?"

Elizabeth turned to Monica and quietly asked her to take a scared Cam and Jake with her then turned to Sam and said "You are a good one to talk. You slept with your stepfather," Yes, she had slept with Jason while married to Lucky, but at the time he had been boffing a teenager who was his drug supplier.

"You, you bitch. You act holier than thou then slept with Nik while being engaged to Lucky, and didn't even use birth control. Nik was mourning your so-called best friend, and you screwed him in the same bed he slept with Emily. I mean, Jason's sister was barely dead before you were hanging all over him." Pretty much everyone in the area's jaw dropped at what she was saying, including Jason and Elizabeth's.

At that point, the woman who had entered the hallway from the other side of the hub, quietly made herself known. "Sam, what are you talking about?"

"Rebecca, you know what I am talking about. Elizabeth the whore Webber who spread her legs for Nik after you sister died at the Black and White ball. She can't help cheating on any man she is with." Sam looked around and saw the expressions of disgust on people's faces. "And that isn't the worst of it. She lied, told everyone that her kid was Nik's, when clearly she was also fucking my boyfriend... lying to me all this time."

"Sam, come with me." said Kelly Lee. They had done all they could, had redirected hospital traffic away from Sam's room, kept people who she claimed were dead or gone away from her. Even her own sisters had been banned because they were afraid what they would say.

Then the Morgans had had to come home for the holidays when Audrey had had a heart attack. Shaking her head, hoping the baby would be fine, she tried to get Sam to come with her. But the woman just refused to move. Glaring at Elizabeth she said "You, you having Jason's child is nothing, so am I. He loves me, he has always loved me You trapped him with that kid, then tried it again... but he still came back to m-"

Sam's adrenaline was pumping and she never felt the prick of the needle before she fell back unconscious onto the gurney they had waiting there. Alexis turned and glared at Jason. "What are you two doing here? You know that Molly needs her to deliver that baby healthy. Why the hell couldn't you stay away."

"Alexis, my grandmother had a heart attack." said Elizabeth quietly. "While I am sorry for what you are going through, my grams wants to see the boys and they, they want to see her."

Nodding, then bowing her head in embarrassment, she had forgotten about Audrey. Alexis said "I am sorry, but we are so close. So damn close."

Elizabeth nodded sympathetically then turned to Patrick who had returned after directly the orderlies to take Sam back to her room. "I think you might need to tell us what is going on, don't you?"

"Sorry, I guess I should have told you more on the phone." he said grimacing. "When you are finished with your grams, and taking care of the boys, meet me in the conference room. Jason, we need you there as well."

When Alexis had checked on Molly, she went to see Sam who was sedated. "Alexis, her blood pressure is up. I think we need to induce, now. When she wakes up, we have to tell her the truth."

Walking to the window as the sun set in the west, Alexis turned then looked at her child who was now asleep then at Kelly and finally at Patrick who had entered the room quietly. "I know that you think I should have done so from the beginning, Kristina hates what I did, but she doesn't understand, she can't..." she said with a sigh. "Fine, when she wakes up, I will tell her."

Patrick looked at her then said evenly "I don't think she will believe you. We might have to prove this to her."

"Seeing Emily should have done that, if not finding out about Jason's children." said Alexis a bit confused.

Patrick reminded her of Sam's story and how Emily had had a twin in her dream world. The attorney asked Lainey who had entered the room and the doctors' opinion was that she had to have heard Emily while asleep and it was her way of explaining why she was there. "Even this idea of her family selling this twin, sounds like something Sam would believe..."

Alexis thought about it then grimaced as she agreed.

"I think you need to come with me." said Patrick then when she was sitting across from Elizabeth and Jason he said "Alexis, Elizabeth just told me that the night Sam took that dive, she was the one who in the middle of that chaos manipulating things in regards to telling Lucky the truth. She knew since May of '07 that Jake belonged to Jason."

Stunned, the lawyer looked at Jason, then at Elizabeth and closed her eyes as she was told what they had kept silent about for so long. "My daughter, my child watched as this woman kidnapped your son? Then hired two men to... why didn't you tell us before this? When the press was making her out to be a victim?"

Elizabeth reached across then said grasping an upset Alexis' hands to comfort her and said "For you, for her sisters. We didn't think that you needed to add having this plus all the other stuff you had learned to be a burden to your future."

"Oh my god, she..." Alexis stood letting go of Elizabeth, then wiping her tears said "I had no idea, now... Jason, she truly believes that you are the father of her child. Has... has Patrick told you what she believes regarding the past few years. I mean, she knows part of the truth... I just don't get that..."

"We think that having the television on and then hearing the medical staff talk as well as those visiting her telling her stuff, Sam turned it all around to make herself the heroine in her own dreams. Elizabeth, you heard what she was saying out there... to me, it sounds like Sam got through this by turning things around in her head."

"Patrick, is she a danger to my family?" asked Elizabeth while her hand now reached for Jason's. "I mean, we know she is a danger but..."

Jason had already called in some of the guards he trusted with his family's protection then reading what Sam had said plus what Kelly Lee had taped and said "I think we need to consider sending the boys home immediately after the holidays."

Kelly entered and showed Patrick the results of her tests. "We just need her permission to induce. Alexis, I talked to Molly's nurse, we are a bit concerned because she has been tossing and turning in her bed."

_Sam woke up, looked at the clock and saw it was just past midnight. Sitting up, she tried to clear her head of the cobwebs as her dream came back to her in living color. "Dream, more like a nightmare." she sneered. "Elizabeth Webber, is dead. Jason loves me and only me. Those brats are dead, I saw them bleeding."_

_Going back to sleep, she was watching herself get married to Jason, Sonny there as his best man, Maxie as her Maid of Honor..._

At the Morgan residence Jason was holding his wife as they dealt with the fear that had been gone from their lives for almost three years. Since the night that Anthony Zachara had gone on a rampage and killed a few of the guests and staff at the Black and White Ball.

Elizabeth could still recall being in the barn when Jason returned with Johnny Zachara and Lulu Spencer and flying into his arms. "Jason, thank god."

She could feel the heat of his skin in spite of the water pouring off of him as her arms wrapped around his waist under his leather jacket. Burying her head in his shoulder, Elizabeth just thanked god he was here. When both of their heartbeats had calmed down a bit, Jason looked around then saw the man tied up on the floor of the barn and asked. "Who is that?"

"We found him outside, knocked out. Here." Elizabeth handed him the gun then looked around. Seeing Lulu arguing with the the dark haired man she had seen in the hallway while getting flashlights. "Lulu, enough!"

Lulu looked up at the handsome man who had shown up to protect her and ignored Elizabeth's order. She just knew that if she didn't stay with him, if he left... something bad was going to happen. He would either run into that annoyingly happy nurse Nadine, or that slut Maxie Jones, or worse, that good two shoes... then she realized at least in that case, she had nothing to worry about. Johnny Zachara was as likely to be interested in Georgie Jones as he was a cop.

Still she was loving the adventure, it reminded her of her parents lives when they were her age. Hearing her name being called again, she turned to protest when Jason called Johnny to go with him then ordered the rest of them to stay there.

When she turned to ignore the order, Elizabeth stopped her and said "You are going to stay here and let us protect you while they go out and deal with this."

Jason just handed Elizabeth back the gun then removed the one that Spinelli had since they didn't need the situation to be worsened by his shooting himself again and went to find the rest of the guests. When he split from Johnny he warned the younger man to be careful. "You too."

Back at the barn, Elizabeth saw Lulu start to head for the door and grabbed her arm to say "You are staying here. Do you get that that young man is risking his life to save yours?"

Spinelli wasn't happy, the girl of his dreams started to go on and on about Johnny being her hero as she got what Elizabeth was saying. Sitting down on the bale of hay, she let her mind drift, never realizing she was slowly falling to sleep. Taking a deep breath as she heard someone knock on the door again.

"Elizabeth?" Opening the door, she saw Maxie Jones scowling while a few other guests came in as well, all shivering and gratefully taking the horse blanket she had ordered Spinelli to offer them. Maxie rolled her eyes then spat out. "Morgan said to tell you that it rains in some stupid country I never heard of."

Glaring at both Elizabeth and Lulu who was still sleeping but with a horse blanket tossed over her, Maxie went to sit on another bale of hay, then wrinkled her nose for a bit. Looking around, she noticed Robin and Georgie weren't here and started to worry.

Five minutes after another group showed up and assure the blond her sister was still in the ballroom, Jason returned with Emily who was crying and looked bruised even as she threw herself into Elizabeth's arms. "Em?"

"Nik, he lost it and attacked her." Jason said quietly to his girlfriend as he encircled both of them in his arms. His sister had tried to offer up excuses, but blackouts or no blackouts, he wasn't letting Nik get away with hurting his sister like that. "Keep her here, no matter what."

Meanwhile Johnny was up at the house, when he saw his father in the room with the majority of the guest. Moving forward, the younger man had just about reached him when the older man grabbed a young woman who was sitting talking to the nurse he had seen at GH.

"Not another step, John boy." he said cackling. "Not unless you want the death of this pretty young thing on your head. Pretty one, tell my son your name."

Georgie stayed silent even when the man pressed the gun into her side and growled at her "What are you stupid, tell my son your name."

When she just stood there pressing her lips together, looking at Johnny while ignoring the crazy loon, Logan Hayes who was near the dark haired man called out. "Hey, just let Georgie go. Do you know who her father is."

Georgie wanted to slap Logan but since that was a normal feeling since finding out what he had done with her sister she just glared both at him and the dangerous looking dark haired man.

"Georgie girl, eh... nice name, pretty one." said the old man walking backwards. "So Georgie girl, whose your daddy?"

In spite of being held at gunpoint, Georgie felt her lips twitch at the way the old man drew the last sentence out. Not wanting Logan to stick his foot any further down his throat unless it was going to choke him, she thought about it then said "Frisco Jones, a WSB agent."

"Pssh, who cares." he said then saw the way his son looked at the girl. "My oh my, Georgie girl, my little boy likes you, I can see it in his eyes. So Johnboy, be a good little son and don't even think of stopping me."

The entire roomful of guests had backed up, leaving only Logan and Johnny near where Georgie was being held hostage. Johnny had hooded his eyes, worried, his father was right, he had noticed the girl earlier, awkwardly trying to dance with that geek Spinelli.

He had just let it go, he was here for one reason and one reason only... to take his father home before he hurt anyone else. Cursing his loneliness that had had him acting like a five year old with Lulu Spencer that for some reason had the blond looking for him, thus leading to this moment, he just told himself to get his head back in the game when Georgie whimpered when she heard the safety being released on the gun.

Johnny had no idea what his father was up to, but the girl clearly knew what that click meant and was scared. As he tried to counteract what the old man was up to, he saw the girl seemed to be tensing up.

Anthony looked around at the people in the room, then saw his son was the closest one to him. Keeping his hand hidden, he did the same thing he saw the Cassadine heir do and when the door started to slide open in the wall, shoved the girl forward with a grunt into his son.

Georgie wait; when she heard Anthony hit the rosette that would open the wall and expecting to have to escape if she wanted to stay alive. When she went to twist his arm to gain freedom, ended up with his gun just as she landed on the man's son.

"OOMph." was all that was said by the two of them as they fell to the ground, Georgie's gown flowing around them while the wetness of his soaked clothes seeped into her. Standing and realizing the girls gown was now plastered to her, Johnny took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. Logan who was closest to them ran for the door but it closed before he got there.

"Dammit." swore the blond as he hit the wall with his fists; turning around looked at the Jones girl and said "Did you see how he did that?"

"It won't do you any good. There are miles of tunnels on this property." replied Georgie as she walked over and hit the rosette. "The better question would be how does a man who has never been here before know how to open them?"

"Who else knows the tunnels?" Johnny asked the girl. "We have to find out where my dad went."

"Nik, his brother Lucky, Luke Spencer the butler, maybe Emily and or Elizabeth." she replied. "Other than that, all you would be doing is wandering around blind. Here take this."

Scott started to protest her giving Johnny the gun only for the girl to turn to him and say "Are you going to join them in the search?"

The man flushed and she gave a derisive chuckle and said "I thought not."

Meanwhile Anthony had come out the other side and saw the present someone had left trussed up for him. Walking over to where Trevor's second in command laid dead from Morgan's bullet, he grunted when he bent down. "Damn, someone beat me to it."

Standing he walked away, leaving the man on the ground but taking the present he had so conveniently found on the dead man. Checking the bullets in the gun he knew that the man wore in his boot, Anthony giggled when he saw that it was fully loaded. Leaving the room through the double doors, he saw that someone had untied the host with the most and looked at the man holding his head and said "Weakness should never be shown."

Shooting the dark haired man in the back, he was certain he heard was related to LOOLOO, he watched the man die then said "Don't worry, Princey, others will be joining you."

Jason met Johnny outside of the barn and gave him the news that he had seen his father and about the two dead men. "Cassadine is dead."

The younger man told him about the tunnels and Jason swore then said "I can't ask Emily, wait, maybe Elizabeth would know." Getting the information, he gave her a quick kiss ignoring the gasps from some of the others present, he then promised to come back to her before he went back out into the rain.

Entering the house, Jason saw that Spencer had had a heart attack, Tracy was with him. While walking away he saw others gathered around Ric Lansing who had been stabbed from what Robin came to tell him. Wondering where Lucky and Sam were, he only hoped they stayed away from the barn, Elizabeth shouldn't have to deal with all their crap while trying to keep people safe.

Hearing Carly telling Kate that there was no way Sonny would give blood to save his brother as he ducked around the empty rooms to figure out where the rest of the people were. Jason saw that bastard Trevor slipping out and went to follow him. Losing the man in the corridors, he heard Lucky and Sam tripping around and groaned knowing they were going to create even more trouble even as he was relieved to know they weren't outside in the barn.

When he saw Jax and Jerry returning from their unexpected swim in the harbor, he stopped the two men and gave them the news. "We need to get people gathered in the barn."

"Why not keep them in the house?" asked Jax as he tried to find a way to get those on the island to safety now that the boat was no longer an option.

"I just ran into Zachara's son, Anthony was in the house where we have the group, he went into the tunnels from that room." Jerry cursed, he had mapped those tunnels out and knew how extensive they were but had never gone as far as the stables.

"Are you sure there isn't one leading there." he asked not wanting to gather everyone and have it turn out to be easier for the psycho . "Have you asked Cassadine? Or that butler of his?"

"He's dead. Both of them are." Jason said bluntly. Seeing Jax's face he replied "I know, but right now, we have to get people to safety then I have to tell my sister. As for the barn, Elizabeth said no, that it was built by Nik's uncle, Stefan Cassadine a few years ago."

"We will get everyone there." said the Brit looking at his brother who was clearly exhausted but eager to find his wife. At the house, they heard the shouting match between Kate and Carly. Jax heard what his wife was saying the drew inner strength before he went to get the people in the parlor. "We are going to bring you to the barn, five at a time."

Nodding, the women went told by Scott to go first, but Jerry put a stop to that.

"No, we go in mixed groups. Men and women together, to be safe. Soon, all had gone except for Nadine who was checking on Georgie who had hidden that she had sprained her ankle in the earlier scuffle. Just as they were to leave, Logan Hayes saw a soaked Cooper Barrett returning and talked him into helping chase after Anthony leaving only Scott and the two women.

Johnny entered, having told Jax he would go with the last grouping just as Tracy came rushing down the stairs. "Luke needs help, Scott, you owe me. Those doctors are so wrapped up in saving that nurse and Lansing..."

Nadine looked at Georgie then reluctantly went with the twosome. "I am a nurse."

"Good." was all Tracy stated as they went up the staircase to where the man was gasping for air. Nadine did what she could, but the man clearly needed nitroglycerin tablets.

Back at the barn, people were gathering, the only guests still in the house where the ones taking care of the patients and those chasing after Anthony Zachara. When Jason returned, he stated to tell Emily the news but she had coldly blamed him for what was going on.

"Jason..." Elizabeth looked to where her best friend was curled up in a ball, then at the man standing there hiding his feelings and went to him. Holding him tightly she ignored his whispered admission that his sister was right and said "No, she isn't and we know that. Anthony is here for one reason, Lulu Spencer. Don't you dare blame yourself."

His head buried in her shoulder, they missed seeing the glances and open stares as the two of them stood there, holding one another for almost a half hour. "I love you, but I have to go and deal with this."

"Just promise me that in the end, you will come home with us." she said "Jake and Cam and I, we all need you."

When she saw the pain in his eyes, she just wanted to make it go away, so she gently kissed him close to the lips, then whispered. "Someone has to be there to teach them how to ride a motorcycle someday so they can fell the wind."

He found a small smile inside of himself then the warmth from her eyes made him feel less alone and he bent down and said "The boys, someday... their mother, well..."

Heading back out toe door, he saw her walking over to Emily and with a sigh gather her sobbing best friend all the while glaring at Lulu who was bragging to Maxie how Johnny had come all that way to save her. That it meant there was a hot guy out there who wanted her that badly, he would risk his life for her.

"What is wrong with your ankle?" Johnny asked when they were walking towards the barn. Georgie was about to answer him when the rain stopped. Looking around to get her bearings from when Dillon and she had been here before, she saw something glinting off to the side.

Heading towards it, she had almost reached the fairly dry area when Johnny realized she was behind him. "What are you doing?"

"There used to be some sort of emergency signal thing around here. My cousin Robin's mother told me about. Back when this nut job Faison used to live here." she said then opened the small metal container, only to groan when she saw the workings had been rusted for years.

Johnny saw the matching square container and said "Yes."

Looking at the flare guns he had found, Georgie didn't say a word as she lifted the gun, then fired the flare into the air. Counted to ten then send up the next one followed by a third. Across the harbor, Detective Harper saw the flare then thought about the society party and called his boss. "I am on my way."

Meanwhile Georgie heard something and looked up at the same time Johnny did. Sam McCall was scrambling to stand on the parapet for some reason. Hearing a laugh, Johnny chased towards where his father was clearly going to kill someone.

Georgie was a bit slower but she soon had joined him. Stopping abruptly when she saw Lucky Spencer now next to Sam. She heard the words, saw what looked like Lucky's hand on Sam's back. Then the old man's manic laughter as the cop jumped back down to the balcony. A scuffle insued. Then there was a shot, followed by two more...

Getting a rescue team, Mac headed over to the Island just as a body hit the ground. Moving closer he saw that it was Sam McCall. Looking up, he saw Detective Lucky Spencer standing on the parapet wall, looking sick.

Then the younger man disappeared just before there was a gun shot, then two more. Hurrying up the stairs, Mac saw the bodies literally lying on the grounds. On the top floor, he saw a dark haired young man holding a gun as he slid to the ground.

"Drop the gun and put your hands up." Mac called out only for him to hear his daughter calling out. "Dad, John saved us."

Hurrying out with Harper he saw Georgie holding a piece of fabric to a bleeding and loudly moaning Lucky Spencer as another man lay dead next to him. "What happened here?"

"When we got here, that man was asking Lucky and Sam if they would die for love." stated Georgie while the medics rushed in to take care of the officer. "Th-then..."

Georgie started sobbing at what she had seen, she still couldn't believe it. "Then, he said that one of them was going off the parapet. L-luc-lucky, Lucky was saying he didn't care, that he was only sleeping with Sam because his wife had cheated on him and Sam was a way of punishing her. Sam and he both kept saying they didn't give a crap if the other one died... then..."

Johnny stood, handing his gun off to the detective and said "That was my fathers, Georgie got it from him earlier and what she is trying to say is that from where we were standing it looked like Lucky shoved Sam to save himself."

Crap, thought Mac as he looked at his daughter then back to the other man "What else... there were shots."

"Lucky jumped down after Sam fell and started to wrestle with my father, he got the gun away from the cop and shot him. Then I shot my dad." he stated baldly. Looking at Georgie, he said "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, my ankle, it just..." Georgie almost passed out from the pain and Mac saw Johnny reach out to grab her and lift her.

"We have to get out of here." Mac saw the younger man had no intention of letting his daughter go and knew he had to find out the whole story.

Down on flat ground, the medics placed Georgie on a gurney just as Lulu ran across the wet grass and threw herself into Johnny's arms. The man seemed uncomfortable, and quickly eased away as he looked at Mac and said "The man who did this was my father... he has been crazy for years, but our attorney refused to let me commit him."

The wet and bedraggled guests, some needing more help than others were soon across the harbor. Some went to the hospital, some went home. All were in need of warm showers and dry clothes. As Elizabeth finished drying off, she called her grandmother back.

"Elizabeth, my dear... the boys are fine. They are looking forward to our day of shopping for your birthday."

Hearing footsteps, Elizabeth stopped protesting when she looked up and saw a very wet Jason Morgan entering her bathroom where she was only wearing a warm robe. "Okay, Grams. I will call you back later after heading to bed."

When the distraught man looked like he was leaving, she reached out, pushed his jacket off his shoulders then tugged his wet t-shirt out of his waistband and peeled it up over his head. Tossing it at the wall, she listened as it hit with a loud splat even as she reached down and started to unbuckle his belt.

"I can do that." he said hoarsely only for Elizabeth to removed his hands and continue without saying a word. When she had pushed him down on her bench, then undid his boots, Jason could only watch, boneless as first she took them off, then his socks.

Hearing the rustle of the jean material as it came down first one leg then the other, he moaned when she then eased his shorts down. Seeing the hard evidence that he wanted her, she looked up, smirked then said "Not now, first we need to warm you up."

His mind went to a very hot spot and Elizabeth gave a small giggle when she saw his body react. "What were you just thinking."

"That I would love to be buried in a nice warm spot, with you curled around me and my hands buried in your hair." he said clearly finding it hard to resist following through with what he was saying.

Elizabeth thought about how long it had been, how much she wanted him then moved in closer and whispered in his ear. "Jason, your skin is so cold right now, that that warm spot would give you third degree burns if I showed you how badly I want you."

Spinning away from his now grasping hands, she let out a soft giggle and headed back to her bathroom. "Hey, come back here."

"Join me." he heard then the sound of the shower starting. He didn't need a second invitation as he entered her bathroom for the first time. Seeing the shower, Jason thought about all the things they could do with all that space but before he could tell her what was on his mind her arm snaked out, then pulled him in with her.

When his hand started to roam, she slapped them down and said "Behave."

Then with a quick kiss and a flirty glance said "For now, at least until we get you warm."

Reaching for her loofah, she soaped it up, then ran it down his chest. Within minutes, the steam was warming up the bathroom as Jason felt Elizabeth reach down and cup his erection. "You are killing me."

"Not yet." she said with a moan as his hands joined hers. When she started to move them back and forth, keeping a slow pace, she listened as he moaned, then reached below to gently massage his sac. When his legs gave way and he ended up on the tiled bench, Elizabeth leaned his head forward against her chest as the rest of him was now out of reach.

She saw her shampoo at eye level, then as she went to put a small amount in her hands, felt Jason's tongue lick the side of her breast. A pant slipped out before she regained control and started to wash his hair.

Jason had never realized having your hair washed could be this erotic as his body all but begged him to take back control from the woman he loved. Instead he moved his head just a bit and latched on to the erect nipple in front of him.

Elizabeth let out a loud moan, that turned into a disappointed groan when Jason released the now burning point. When he lifted his head, she stop washing his hair and maneuvered his head to where her other nipple was begging for the same treatment.

Finally knowing she had to rinse his hair, she tugged his head back only for him to gently bite the side of her breast then tilt his head back. Making sure all the shampoo was gone, Elizabeth leaned down to kiss him. Her lips were soon claimed, both of them now beyond breathing until Jason tore his lips from hers and drew in a ragged breath before saying. "Elizabeth, if we do this... if we... I won't leave, I can't. I can't let you go, not-"

Elizabeth pressed her lips to his heart and said "Jason, will you marry me?"

"YEESSS!" The words were torn from his throat as he stood and pulled her close. They stood there for a few minutes then when Elizabeth ran her hands down the muscled chest in front of her, something changed, became more intense as hands, lips and just bodies connected in a need to be one.

Water was streaming down their faces as their lips met again and again When Jason slid his hand down her body, between her thighs, Elizabeth moaned, certain the wait was over. His lips claimed her as his hand just lightly touched her, not going any further, just teasing while he started to kiss his way down her throat.

Just as he again latched on to a now straining nipple, his questing fingers found her center. He again teased her for a second, then pushed his finger into the moist and very hot opening. Finding a nice rhythm he listened and enjoyed Elizabeth's body responding as she arched her back and clamped her thighs around his thrusting hand as it moved within her pulsing heat.

Tugging at his hair, she drew his head back up for a kiss. His tongue entered her mouth, exploring then he pulled back, needing, needing to know that she wanted the satisfaction they could only find with one another.

Lifting her, he said "I want you, I need to be buried, need to be deep inside you when I come."

Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist, she could feel his tip just about where she wanted it as she let out an impatient whimper as he reached down to place himself at the brink of her opening. When her hips tried to move forward, he stopped her for a second then said "Forever" as he thrust inside her.

Holding himself inside of her, letting her adjust to their connection, his body trembling from the urge to move, Jason slowly withdrew then plunged back in again and again, claiming more than just her body.

As the pressure build, the only sounds were their panting, their bodies meeting and releasing and the water, hitting the tiles as it slowly grew cold but neither noticed as they let themselves finally be free with one another for the first time in over a year.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Jason's neck, and arched her back as she felt her body demanding the release it needed just as inside of her, the desperate pounding caused her body to tense then melt as she felt him come, like he had wanted buried deep within her.

When she felt the wetness, then more, she blushed as he moaned deeply the kept moving inside of her as he came yet again. Jason's head was buried in her neck as he ran his hands through her curls and said "That was incredible."

"Jason..." When she saw his head come up, then the fear, she soothed his wrinkled brow and said "I am hungry."

"I will get us something to eat." he replied amused at how she seemed confused even as he reached out and turned off the taps.

Pushing him back on the bench behind him, she leaned down and licked where a droplet of water was now running down his chest. With a laugh, she said "I know what I want..."

Finally getting it, he said "Aren't you exhausted..."

"This is Port Charles, crazy society parties should be considered foreplay." she said laughing as he picked her up and carried her into their bedroom.

Hours later, he yawned and asked as they finally ate real food. "When are the boys due back."

Looking at the clock, then down at them wearing nothing but towels and said "Five minutes ago."

Racing up the stairs, Jason picked up the bag he had brought in from the truck and they were laughing as they tried to get dressed, "Is your grandmother usually on time."

The doorbell rang and Jason looked out the window at the late model Lincoln and got the answer to his question even as Elizabeth fell down pulling on her jeans. Hearing her grandmother calling out as she and the boys entered the house, she said "Welcome to the family but we had better get down there before Cam comes looking for us."

A long talk later a confused and tired Audrey Hardy drove home then when she was heading to bed, thought about it, wondering why her granddaughter was wearing her shirt inside out... then it hit her and she snickered, well at least she knew that Mr. Morgan wasn't only with them for the boys.

2010

Early the next day, Alexis sat down with Sam and gave her all that she knew about the Black and White ball. Sam just smirked. "Okay, you are saying that Nik died, that Elizabeth never slept with him? Seriously, I mean do I look that dumb."

"Sam, Nik died that night, along with Ric Lansing, Anthony Zachara, Cooper Barrett and two waiters. There were also eight dead gunmen and Carly was choked until she passed out. You, you were found at the bottom of the parapet in the fountain and Lucky was shot by Anthony. Emily didn't die but yes, Luke did have a heart attack."

"Mother, there is no way I was asleep all this time, trust me on that. I know what is a dream and what is real." she said rolling her eyes. "What next?"


	2. Chapter 2

Emily was sitting at the Cassadine crypt, crying for the loss of Nik, his son Spencer and the baby she had miscarried. "I thought I would find you here."

Turning to where her mother was standing, Emily let herself be hugged then said "Why would Sam, even Sam say all those vile things? To accuse Elizabeth, of what she did?"

Monica thought back on Thanksgiving that year. She had gained two grandsons and a daughter-in-law, for that she would always be grateful for the truth coming out but her daughter had had the worst night of her life and had spent almost three months blaming Jason.

No one, at least no one her daughter had been talking at the time had ever told her WHY Anthony Zachara had been at that ball. Lulu had sat there, crying loud tears at the loss of her brother and for poor Lucky who was being demonized in the press. Luke had heard the truth from his daughter when she had talked about Johnny Zachara.

Until one day when she had heard Jerry Jacks talking to Carly of all people had she learned that no, it hadn't been mob related, that Anthony there had had everything to do with Lulu Spencer and her chasing after John Zachara. Emily had wondered at the time of Jerry's interest in the situation but that had mattered less than finding her brother and making up for the horrible way she had been treating him.

Later they would learn that he had wanted to make a play for the Zachara organization, but had backed the wrong girl, Johnny hadn't been dating Lulu like the blond had claimed. Emily not knowing though had attacked both of them for not warning people, but Monica had had the final word. It wasn't until she heard the blond whining to Dillon one day about Georgie that Emily had fully gotten what was going on.

She had kicked Luke out of the house mere days after he was released from GH, feeling no regrets. That had turned to rage when after Helena had heard the news that Emily was pregnant, had killed Spencer and left the child in a coffin on Jasper Jacks' desk. Emily had lost her baby when she heard about Spencer; that alone was reason enough to react the way she had but when Lucky who was somehow still a cop tried to arrest Jason for some of the mess.

Johnny had been out meeting with some suppliers at the beginning of December when he had cut through the park and rescued Georgie Jones from a masked attacker. When Mac had shown up, he had listened to what the two had to say then watched not sure he liked the closeness between his daughter and the now full fledged mobster. 

After saving her, instead of being more at ease the young man went from hanging out at Kelly's when she was working to avoiding the small diner as he got that his feelings were not going to just fade away. Instead the Italian had gone to Morgan to protect the girl, then gave him the information about the attacker.

Since it was looking like a match to the murder of Leticia Juarez, he had been relieved to find out Georgie was fine. Same with Maxie who was attacked the next week at home when she was coming out of the bathroom. That time it was Georgie returning home that stopped her from being badly hurt..

A few days later, Mac was frantic he couldn't locate his daughter and after talking to Robin and Maxie knew that neither had they. Maxie however had lost her phone during that time, so she had pointed out that her sister could have left a note on it like she sometimes did. Mac had even gone so far as to stop over at the Zachara residence where he had been told the younger man hadn't seen his daughter in days.

Lulu once again tried to convince Johnny she was the girl for him, trotting out the Luke and Laura history as proof. When she had overheard what Mac had been saying, Lulu tried to claim that the waitress was trying to get his attention.

But something in her eyes, had him wondering and he soon had it out of her that there had been a strange message and that she hadn't passed it on to Johnny because she had no idea ANYONE could possibly think that Georgie was his girlfriend, after all she was just you know, Georgie.

After making it clear to the blond he was NOT interested he had gone to rescue the girl who was at Trevor's favorite hiding spot. When he had freed her, she had called her sister help her cover with her dad.

Days later Mac had pulled Johnny in as a suspect on the TMK killer, only to find out the evidence had been planted by a jealous Logan Hayes upset at what he took as Johnny stealing Lulu away from him. Mac when he heard what was going on, warned the mobster to stay away from his little girl. 

Deciding that the way to take over was to get Morgan to take out Johnny. When it didn't work, the lawyer had decided that Morgan needed to be kept occupied so he could work on Corinthos. So Trevor had revved up Lucky Spencer; who had then tried to go to court to gain sole custody of Jake only for his past to come out and yet again be allowed to remain a cop. Mac had been furious but Trevor who had some pull was using the younger man's anger to take a bit out of the Corinthos Morgan organization. 

When Trevor had tried to send his men after Elizabeth and the children as part of helping Spencer in exchange for his help, he had been run off by Johnny who was struggling to run his family's organization and had called his sister home. 

Sam just laughed when Alexis tried to tell her that Jason and Elizabeth had been married since Christmas that year. "Yeah, right. There is no way that Lucky or Carly would allow it." 

"Lucky spent almost a year in jail for a hit and run." she replied. "He got drunk on Valentine's day and hit Logan Hayes with his police car. Logan sued the city that spring and got a huge settlement." Not even Trevor had been able to save him that time. What was worse, the minute he was out of jail, he had tried to get his job back but thankfully Trevor was no longer around." 

"What about Carly?" she sneered. "Carly tolerates me, she outright loathes Elizabeth." 

"At the time Carly had bigger problems." said Alexis as she thought about her best friends' life and how it had ended up so complicated. Her mind went back to what Jax had told her about that time. 

Sonny had been at a small club looking for tail when he saw the dark haired woman who had made it clear she was available. Kate and he had had a fight after he had gone to the city and tossed one of her snotty nosed art friends into a wall. Now, he just wanted to forget all about his plan to be respectable and just get laid.

A few days later, finding out the woman he had used but good that night was the sister of Johnny Zachara he had claimed they were setting him up and called the spade a spade. The jade had stood up in a meeting then looked at him and said "What the hell does that make you, a lilly white virgin. I didn't come on to you, you hit on me."

A few days later, he had been admonished by the head of the familys and Sonny was vowing revenged and blaming Jason who was out of the country at a time like this. He had then made the mistake of telling Carly, wanting sympathy. He had gotten back with Kate and was now worried that the bitch might tell his fiancee about his moment of weakness.

Jax listened to Carly drone on and on about how her life just kept going to the pits and she had no idea why. He wanted to point out that taking on a female mob boss for doing the same thing she did after she had slept with her EX-husband might have something to do with it. The Italian woman had looked down her nose at his soon to be ex-wife and just laughed then walked away.

Carly had been after revenge and the first person she saw had been the editor of Crimson. Carly had gone to rub it in Kate's face. The editor had dealt with Carly with the usual class and calmness she usually had then had cried on Jax's shoulder. Carly made the mistake of taking on Claudia Zachara for laughing at her, thinking she was a bad ass because she had Jason to protect her.

But it hadn't worked out that way. Jason had warned her before he left on his honeymoon that Carly had better get used to not having him to prop her up when she caused trouble. Instead the blond had ignored what she didn't want to hear and had called the Italian woman a skank, then had suggested that if she was going to work the bars, she should at least attempt to get paid for it. 

"You mean, like your mother used to. Carly, women who have no name sex and sleep with their stepfathers, shouldn't throw stones. You think you are some sort of top dog, guess what sweetie, there is a new dog in town and honey she is a real bitch."

Within days their hotel was almost closed down and had lost two of it's stars after there was a small computer problem, one that had stumped Spinelli to Carly's rage. The much in demand chef had quit taking with him all his copy-written recipes and they had had to scrap their whole menu. And then the laundry service went on strike. 

Claudia had shown up in his office, told him that all his troubles would go away the minute his wife apologized to her. Carly's pride had gotten in the way, then she had tried to bother Jason. Only for Spinelli to tell her that he was forbidden to bother Stone Cold and that Stone Cold had given him a list of emergencies contact and none of them had been the man himself. 

Taking the list, Carly had been hung up on several times in one afternoon, then when she had tried again the next day been laughed at and told that Jason had warned her to behave. Carly was convinced this was all Elizabeth's fault and vowed to make the nurse pay.

When Jason and his family returned in March from their trip to Italy where they had bought a house for them to spend half the year, they had kept it quiet for almost a week. Carly soon found out from Spinelli who had accidentally let it slip, then had been scared into giving her the Morgan's new address.

Carly had shown up, and at first cried all over him for keeping Jake's biology a secret. "How could you do that to me, we share everything. I keep nothing from you."

"Carly our friendship might have lasted a bit longer if you had." he snapped. "Why are you here, when I didn't tell you where we were living or give you my new number, why on earth would you think that all of that was a mistake. I know what you have been doing Carly and I am not putting this fire out. Maybe, just maybe you will learn to stand on your own two feet and take responsibility for your actions, I doubt it, but there is hope. Now if you will excuse me, I promised to read to my sons before bedtime."

Carly had tried to talk to him, when he rejected her yet again, she was convinced that Elizabeth had to have something on him, after all, Jason would never walk away from her, she was Michael's mother. Both Sonny and Jax had tried to warn her, but Carly laid the groundwork before claiming to people around town that Elizabeth had blackmailed him into marriage using the little boy then had promised to put it to rights for 'his' sake.

Jason's life went to rights almost straight away, Carly's name was off Diane's list to help and the guards were warned to keep her away. She had been shocked to find out that without Jason to back her up, more people ignored her, or openly sneered at the blond. When she had heard he had adopted Cam while they were in Italy, that his name was now Cameron Morgan, she had vowed, right then and there that there was no way, none that Elizabeth Webber was getting away with this.

Carly found out from Bobbie that Cam had been trying to start a fire in the fireplace and the blond had threatened to report Elizabeth for child neglect when he had caused a small fire in the house. She had even gone so far as to make the call.

The woman from social services who had already investigated knew that no one had been at fault, but Carly had just gone over her head. Too bad that the person over the worker was friends with Audrey Hardy and had warned them what she was up to.

Jason who had felt guilty because he had shown the little boy what he was doing one night at their cabin, never thinking about the consequences was devastated that anyone, even someone as delusional as Carly would think what he had done was neglect. Elizabeth felt sick that Carly was causing Jason to doubt his parenting ability after years of the blond depending on him to take care of her own kids.

Stupidly, she had confronted Elizabeth at the hospital on her first day back to work and that, that would be the final straw. When Carly had attacked Elizabeth had kept it quiet, not telling Jason about it. After he found out he had first gone off on his no longer friend that it had been he who had taught Cameron how to light the fire.

When Carly had suddenly changed her tune, saying that she hadn't known that but that Elizabeth was still a bad mother to not be supervising her kids better, he had acidicly asked where her kids where?

She had just said "With the nanny of course."

"Oh course, because you can't deal with being a parent." he had sneered. "Carly, the person social services should be investigating is you, not us. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go home to my family.

Once there, Jason had then had had his first argument with his wife. She had been stunned that he had expected her to tell him about the fight between the blond and her. That had led to a long talk about their past and Carly giving both of them insight into the others feelings regarding the blond. That had ended with them making love in their secret place to hide with their family that no one, but no one knew about and Elizabeth finally getting that they needed to talk to keep from losing one another. 

Carly just didn't give up however; having heard Elizabeth talking about being out on the same road as Lucky the night he had hit Logan Hayes; and that she had dented her car on a guardrail; Carly had gone to the police trying to blame her for the hit and run. 

When Scott had attacked Elizabeth, Jason dealt with the attorney, then had proven that it was Lucky who had caused the accident. He had then went to Carly who had once again tried to claim that she was saving him for a fate worse than death. 

The blond hadn't believed him about their friendship being over until the day she had been forced by Jax to apologize to the Zachara woman. Afterwords, she had gone to Sonny and yet again slept with her ex-husband; when she found out that she was pregnant the blond had tried to claim it was Jason's, driving the wedge even deeper between them while Jax just longed to walk away.

Less than a month later at the end of April, the TMK case was wrapped up with Spinelli who had left a message with Georgie to call him went missing. She had tracked the call to his phone with the help of Stan Johnson who was now working at the hospital as an orderly to appease his mother.

She had then went with Maxie who for some reason was spending time with the young hacker to where the signal was coming from. When her sister had kissed the hacker, Georgie had gone to look through the stuff in the large room where the geek had been trapped. After telling her father and sending him to the room with a team Georgie concentrated on helping Maxie.

Worried she was reacting to Coopers death, Georgie had even tried to set her up on a date with John Zachara only to be informed by the man that he wasn't interested in the OLDER Jones girl. The mobster was frustrated when she had missed the very large clue that maybe, he just maybe was interested in the younger one he was yet again spending so much time with. 

Georgie had been walking the docks, trying to figure out what was going on with Johnny and her heart. And also why he was always around after all he should have way better things to do than hang around someone he referred to as his friend. 

Just about giving up in understand men, she saw wet footprints disappear into the basement of Kelly's where Carly's old club was. The guard that John had on her called his boss when he saw her vanish into thin air and the man showed up within minutes and followed the same path only to come out of the tunnel into GH's basement. 

Up the stairs, he saw Georgie seemed to be watching the floor closely then stop outside of the coma ward. Moving in, she peeked into the room and with wide eyes, she backed away and searched through her purse. When the younger girl called the cops, she also let him in on what was going on. 

He watched her grab a fire extinguisher then head into the room. Grabbing her arm, he was stunned to see a man wearing a mask trying to smother Sam McCall. Entering he shot the man holding a pillow over the still patient just as the police showed up. "Zachara, drop your gun."

Mac glared at the younger man in spite of being grateful he was around yet again to save his daughter then went over to remove the mask. Hearing Georgie gasp, Johnny looked at the dark haired younger man on the ground, then heard Mac say "Take her out of here."

Out in the hall while the medical personnel checked on Sam, Johnny asked what was it. She was soon seated in the waiting room drinking the camomile tea that Lainey Winters offered and explained about Diego and their past leaving nothing out, including the deal the man had made with Lulu. "I had thought he died when Sam shot him on the docks last year."

Fighting the urge to embrace her, Johnny gave his statement to Mac, then nodding that he understood he could pick up his gun at the station the next day. Taking her home, he hugged her then kissed the top of her head when she returned the embrace. "I am glad you are okay, I would miss not having you in my life."

Looking up, she smiled a slightly bittersweet smile and said "Yeah, me too. I don't have that many friends and would hate to lose even one."

A bit frustrated that the young woman didn't seem to realize he liked her as a woman, Johnny had gone to Jake's getting into a bar fight. Hours later, his sister had bailed him out of jail, smacking him in the head and telling him to move on, that clearly the girl wasn't interested.

Out in the hall while the medical personnel checked on Sam, Johnny asked what was it. She was soon seated in the waiting room drinking the camomile tea that Lainey Winters offered and explained about Diego and their past leaving nothing out, including the deal the man had made with Lulu. 

Carly went to see Jason only to find him driving off with Elizabeth towards the edge of town. Wondering what they were up to, she followed. Seeing them on the old bridge, talking quietly then she watched as Jason kissed his wife before answering his phone. 

As the couple drove off, Carly followed, then speeding up when she saw it was close to the time she had promised to meet Jax about the hotel. Since she wasn't driving her car, she took the chance and passed them on the road, never seeing Jason lose control of the car on the slick newly paved surface.

When the car stopped rolling, Elizabeth saw that driver's side window had shattered and that glass had cut Jason's face, arms and wrists. Holding a cloth on them as she called for help, Elizabeth desperately prayed that her unconscious husband would be okay.

She never noticed she had cut an artery in her leg on the glass until she tried to climb up into the rescue vehicle. Passing out, she missed hearing them call the hospital, then that she had to have surgery herself. Waking up, her first words to Robin who was in her room was "How is Jason?"

"You need to let us take care of you, first." she said forcing her to stay in the bed. When she finally got through to her, she said "Jason damaged his wrists, he is going to need specialized help for the damage. Patrick is talking to a specialist in Seattle, then I will let you know what is said. For now, please for his sake and your boys, let us take care of you."

The next morning when Carly saw on the news that Jason was harmed in a car accident, she went to the hospital and verbally attacked Elizabeth ignoring the warning from the young nurse who said that Mrs. Morgan was to be kept calm. Carly then sneered that her life wasn't worth all he had to have gone through.

"Jason needs his hands to do his job, that he was hurt saving you." Carly had no idea that Jason was in the next room and had heard everything, nor that he was aware that of what Sonny added. 

"You are trouble and always have been." he added. "I get that Jason loves you and you love him. Yet, every single time he gets involved with you, something happens that puts my business at risk." 

Struggling to stand in spite of the very heavy drugs, Jason came through the door just as Sonny went down the hallway. After consoling his wife, he vowed to make damn sure that Sonny knew that as of this moment, he was done with him.

The man had come to him, asked him to take over. He hadn't wanted to do so, but like Elizabeth had said, with Jason in charge things would be safer than the man who overreacted to everything. As of this minute, Sonny Corinthos didn't know it, but he was out, with only the few men he had for protection. The boys would be kept safe, same with Kristina but Carly and Sonny, well they were on their own.

"Morgan, we need to talk." Said Patrick as he explained about the needed operation on his hands. Jason got what he was saying then asked if Elizabeth was well enough to travel with him.

The Morgan family went out of town and only came back in May when Monica called with the news. "Jason, you both have to come home. Things have gotten worse"

Hanging up the phone, Jason watched as Elizabeth cleaned up the remnants of Jake's first birthday. "What is it?"

Waiting until the boys were down for the night, he gave her the news. "Michael ran away from home two weeks ago. The guard I had on him knew where he was, but couldn't get the message out to Sonny. He grabbed Georgie Jones for some reason as a way to control John Zachara who he was convinced grabbed Michael. He had her trapped at the old Roselawn Institute. Tried to get the docks from Zachara in exchange for the girl when Michael came home."

"Johnny agreed, but in the transfer, Claudia, his sister was shot, Carly had a miscarriage, then it came out that it was Sonny's child. That she bribed a tech to alter the DNA tests."

"Poor Jax." she murmured. "Poor Georgie."

"When they were at the hospital, Sonny denied grabbing Georgie, claimed that they were lying, so now, Mac is out for blood. Then it looks like Michael saw Johnny beating up on Sonny when he insulted Zachara's sister while she lay breathing through a tube."

Jason was still in shock at what he had been told and blamed himself for leaving that little boy with the two most selfish people he knew but at the time, he had been blind to who and what they were.

"He ran his mouth?" she asked a bit surprised. Then recalling the rumors said "I bet you Kate didn't like hearing about Carly's baby."

"No, she just blamed Claudia who told her. Michael, apparently bought a gun a few months ago when he heard the adults talking about what Diego was doing. He went looking for Johnny and shot, damn, he shot at Georgie Jones and said it was because of how Johnny had disrespected his father." 

Swearing, Elizabeth said "What happened?" 

"Elizabeth, he pulled the gun in the middle of Kelly's lunch rush. He missed, thankfully but he then ran again." said Jason." 

"What happened?" she asked then closed her eyes at the horror of what Jason was telling her, that he went home and hid the gun, that Morgan had found it. "Morgan, oh my god, poor, poor Carly." 

Jason grimly continued. "No, poor Morgan. His mother has been by to visit him once, the day he was shot and before she found out where Morgan got the gun. At first she had blamed Sonny, causing problems between them. Now she is all about saving Michael." 

"WHAT?" she asked almost yelling. "What is she doing?"

"Trying to get Michael out of jail, and that isn't the worst." The expression on Jason's face told Elizabeth that whatever it was was very very bad.

"Jason?" she asked softly "What is it?"

"Sonny tried to intimidate Georgie into dropping the charges against Michael. When it didn't work, when he didn't get his way; Trevor Lansing who was somehow involved because Molly was at the diner went to visit Sonny, there was an argument, Trevor died. Lulu Spencer however had shown up there, looking for Carly since she was back living there." 

Jason looked sick then whispered "Lulu and Sonny are missing together. Diane thinks that Sonny and she are going to show up married." 

2010 

Sam snorted, she could believe part of that, Carly would go out of her way for Michael and would ignore Morgan. Everyone knew that the way to get to Jason was through Michael, even the kids' mother. 

"What about Logan Hayes, did he try to rape Maxie, then attack Lulu?" she asked. 

"No, Logan left town, with the money he got from the city after the hit and run." Alexis stated. "Sam, I am not lying. This is what happened."

The pregnant girl, just laid back down and said "I am tired mother, and don't have time for your delusional fantasies."

__

Falling to sleep in her dream, Sam woke up just as she was preparing to kick Carly out of Jason's life.

When Sam woke up, she saw Patrick Drake in her room and staring at her. "What?"

"Sam, you need to face that what you believe to be true isn't. For your own sanity." he replied. While on a personal level he didn't give a damn, as a doctor he had to treat his patient. When Sam just sneered and said "Alexis was up to the summer of '08, according to her, Sonny had disappeared with Lulu Spencer."

Sitting down, Patrick looked at her then said "Well my life was pretty busy, Robin had found out she was pregnant and we were getting ready to be parents."

"I know all about that, the blog wars where you made it clear she was the last woman you wanted to marry." she replied. "I know that Spinelli helped set it up for you."

"Spinelli?" he asked wondering what she was talking about. That was a name he had heard so infrequently other than as Maxie's friend that he didn't know what to say but continued on. "Sonny did come home married to Lulu, Luke Spencer showed up and they had a huge fight."

On the phone with his second in command, Jason sighed at what Cody was telling him. "Why would any of the men take orders from him, knowing he was no longer in charge."

Getting the names Milo and Max, Jason said "I want to talk to them, tonight."

He had had a bad feeling when it came to the brothers, well aware that they were loyal to Sonny first, and would obey his orders without talking to Jason like ordered, but to grab Georgie Jones, to grab any woman, well they had better have a damn good explanation. Calling Italy, he let his contact know and was soon called back. "I understand, do what you need to do."

Jason and Elizabeth got off the jet and drove straight to their house, with the now added security features.. Kissing Jason, Elizabeth heard Audrey pulling up and the boys rushing out before he could even tell her he was going to find out what was going on. "You take care of that, I am going to see Emily, find out what she knows."

Grimacing at the idea of dealing with either of his past friends, Jason soon helped his boys into Mrs. Hardy's car, saw her wave then drive off. The boys had been looking forward to this sleepover and they had been running late and apparently Wall-E waited for no man or in this case boy.

Getting into the SUV, Jason drove to hospital and saw Jasper Jacks sitting alone in Morgan's room. Entering he asked "How is he?"

"Like you care." he sneered as he wiped away the tears. "We all know you are here to get Michael out of this, once again Morgan is tossed to the side."

Placing his hand on the shoulder of the man he had disrespected for so long out of nothing more that other people's likes and dislikes and Jason thought about the little boy he had found dead on his desk. Spencer having been placed there by Helena, then how he had gotten a copy of the police reports and found out that Jax who had been dropping off the last of the boys stuff had been the one to find Morgan lying in a pool of blood while downstairs Sonny had been arguing with Alexis about getting his son out from under the charges he was facing.

"I do care and I am going to talk to Michael, but Jax, I am not going to bail him out of this." he said firmly. "That is part of his problem, his parents keep bailing him out. One of the reason's I didn't want him with the Quartermaines was that I wanted him to stand on his own two feet unlike AJ. Clearly I made the wrong choice."

At that, Jax looked up and saw Jason's eyes were on the still little boy with the bandage around his head. "Carly thinks..."

"She is wrong. I have to go and deal with this, but may I come back. Sit with him for a while?" he asked the man who clearly cared more about Morgan than his own parents.

"Yes, I think he would like that. I have been reading to him." Jax showed him the book about tigers. "He has always hoped you would take him when you take Michael to Africa."

Frowning a bit, Jason said "What do you mean, take Michael to Africa?"

Telling him how Carly had always talked about Jason taking Michael to Africa, made it sound like a family trip, but when he said "She would describe it as Michael, her and you."

Shaking his head, Jason replied. "That was not going to happen. Dammit, what the heck is wrong with that woman? And then to ignore Morgan in this fantasy let alone my wife and kids." 

Hesitating, Jax said "She has a picture of you holding Jake, when I asked where the one of Cameron was; she refuses to call him your son. Said that he wasn't yours, only Elizabeth's. I don't have to tell you that there is no wedding picture either." 

Getting the message, Jason said "Here."

Opening up the bag, Jax said "Elizabeth got this for him, didn't she?"

"She said she saw him reading it one day." Jax pulled out the globes, one inflatable and the other one just like Michael's and said "What are these?"

"I bought one for our boys and then when we were at the store in Seattle, I saw them. The day that Elizabeth went to pick out the globe I gave Michael; she pretended she had only gotten the beach ball one." he said his mind going back to the past. 

Carly who had heard from Momma who had heard from Audrey that Jason was in town, knew that he would be here. She had just arrived at the door when she had heard Jason discussing the globe. Furious, she had always assumed Jason had gotten it for Michael directly. 

She had imagined him spending time, making up his mind after gather items for her little boy, to know that Elizabeth had picked it out. Tarnished it's memory for her and she would make sure it was gone that very afternoon.

Opening the door, she looked at her son and let the tears flow. "Jason, I knew it, I knew you would come when you heard about our little boy."

The enforcer didn't say a word, just looked at her as she threw herself into his arms and cried. Jax saw the cynical expression on Jason's face grow as instead of the little boy who lay not five feet away, Carly went on and on about Michael.

Knowing he couldn't outright reject her if he wanted information, Jason slowly disengaged Carly then asked "Carly, how is Morgan doing?"

"As well as can be expected. Dr. Drake says he will be this way forever, but of course he won't. I wasn't, after getting shot in the head. They just want to use this as an excuse to punish Michael for their own incompetence at never being able to convict Sonny or you."

"Carly, since you just got here, why don't you stay with your son. I have some things to take care of and will come back when I can." Jason didn't care that he was manipulating the woman into spending time with her comatose son, dammit, Morgan needed her.

"No, that fine. I was here earlier." she said as she tried to head out the door "I want to be there when you talk to Michael."

"No." he said firmly. "Stay here, be with Morgan like I know you want to."

Starting to say something different, Carly realized she couldn't and just turned to Jax and said "I want to be alone with my son."

"Fine, we are on page 29 of his book." he said then handing it to her watched as she tossed it down on the desk and went to talk to the boy.

Seeing Jason had slipped out, Jax listened from the doorway as Carly sat there offering excuses to the little boy about how he had ended up there. And not a single apology for why she hadn't been. Then he heard "I wish I could be here Morgan, but right now, Michael needs me more." 

Jason drove out to Sonny's and entered the room. "Jason, good you are here. We need to take out those Zacharas. They are the ones..." 

"Who did nothing." Jason said with a sigh. "Sonny, you turned the business over to me, remember? Why on earth would you think that I wanted those piers, let alone would accept them the way you tried to get them?"

"When you were getting ready to marry Kate, you signed it all always, remember? What happened with that anyhow? I have a truce in place with Johnny and you , you keep pressing to start a war. It won't be happening."

"They are the reason..." he started to rage then heard Kate entering and played it off like he hadn't been trying to get back into the business.

"Mr. Morgan." she said icily. "If you are here to offer your condolence regarding Morgan, thank you, but you may go now. I have to have a word with Sonny."

Looking at the woman who had to be furious Sonny had married her own assistant, Jason just nodded then looked at Sonny then her before saying. "Sonny, I am going to visit with Michael."

"Diane ordered me to stay away from that Jones girl, you need to talk to her and then you need..." Jason just looked at the man, then thought about the reason they had stayed gone for so long and walked away just as Kate put her hand on the door.

The door slammed and Sonny looked at the furious woman standing there glaring at him. "What is your problem? I thought you got that you were replaced."

"Lulu told me the truth, Sonny." she replied. Seeing his eyes narrowing, she added "I am not going to say anything, but what on earth were you thinking, marrying her? She can't keep her mouth shut about her own secrets, let alone yours. And Carly going along with this. I want to know what you said that convinced her that your marrying her cousin was the right thing to do." 

Arriving at the Crimson Point Estate belong to the Zacharas, Jason had yet another encounter with Claudia who seemed to feel the need to hit on every single man she met. "I am here to talk to your brother, not you." 

When she started to protest, Johnny entered the room and looked at his sister and said "Leave now."

Walking to the door, she looked at him and said "Remember what I said, no one, no one connected to Corinthos can be trusted."

Looking at Jason, Johnny and he moved to the sofa area and sat down. "Sorry about that, my sister has had a few run ins with your ex-partner. Why are you here?"

"We need to talk about Georgie Jones." Johnny tensed and Jason saw the glare and said "Wait, listen to me. Your interest in that girl is becoming public. I am going to give you some advice I wish someone had given me."

Standing, Jason walked over to the window, he didn't like discussing his private life with others but in this case he needed to make sure this younger man got what others were thinking. Telling him about Elizabeth and his past, he saw the moment he talked about her ending up in the hospital, the man was going to go about this the wrong way. "No, don't walk away, not if you truly care."

"I do, she doesn't." he said bluntly. "To her I am an occasional person to talk to about things. Like how her ex Dillon moved to LA and how it hadn't bothered her. For god's sake, she tried to set me up on a date with her sister."

"Then if you and she aren't going to be together, you need to for her sake, let it go." Jason said softly regretting giving the advice even as he stated it. "Be seen with another woman, publicly so that people get she is only a friend." 

Johnny got the message, then when Jason was at the door, offered up advice of his own. "Morgan, Sonny is going to betray you, oh, not deliberately but he is desperate for power."

At the door, Jason said "I know, I just can't let him back in, the family's made that clear when I took over."

"Watch your back." was the last words they both said while they went to deal with something neither wanted to do.

At the station, Jason listened to Micheal's story and groaned "Let me get this straight. Diane wants you to apologize, you want to apologize and take the deal, but Sonny and Carly won't let you?"

Nodding, Michael looked pained. "Jason, I was next to the jukebox, standing there, with this gun in my hand and watching Georgie, like I have a thousand times. I was so angry, so mad at Johnny. I had seen him earlier that day watching Georgie but when I was about to fire, I saw Georgie, just Georgie. She has always been nice to me and I had wanted to hurt her, cause pain to her to hurt someone else."

"Oh Michael. I am so sorry, I left you with those people." he said feeling guilty. "This is my fault." 

Looking down at his hands, at the hands that pulled the trigger and then with tears up at his uncle and said "No, it's mine. I did this. Not you, not even dad. If she had been hurt, or d-died. I don't think I could have lived with myself." 

"Then, then there is Morgan." Michael said "No one will tell me anything, not even Diane. All Mom says is that he will be fine, but I saw the blood, Uncle Jason, I know that there is no fine when someone looks that bad. I did that, me. I knew he liked to go through my stuff and I didn't even think about it before putting the gun in there." 

Closing his eyes, Jason said "I am going to talk to Elizabeth, see if she will go to the courts and maybe we can get custody of you. Then you will have to face the charges, Michael. Are you willing to do that?" 

"I have been trying." he stated. "I even went to Mac; he was furious, Uncle Jason but he sat down and listened to me. He said he wished he could just let me go in front of the judge." 

In the station, Jason saw Elizabeth entering with his sister. Walking over, he heard what Emily had to say "I talked to Alexis, she was willing to represent him in the case but this is going to get ugly."

"Elizabeth, I was wondering how you would feel..." he felt her hand on his arm and then her smile of acceptance only for another voice to be heard. 

"Jason, that isn't a good idea." Alexis said. "I want to talk to Monica, she has the best chance."

Sam listened in stunned disbelief as she heard that Monica had legal custody of Michael, then that Carly had attacked Jason when her son had taken the choice Mac had offered with the DA's help. That she had screamed and shouted as Michael went away to a military academy. "You expect me to believe that Jason stood up to Carly, yeah right."

"Wait, I thought Sonny was facing charges, what happened there?"

"Lulu fell apart on the stand and Sonny almost went to jail but Diane was able to prove that Trevor had been the first to fire. Thereby what happened was self defense. He was fined for contempt of court for his marriage and Lulu, well Lulu started flirting with some long haired boy before the ink was dry on the annulment papers."

"Her brother, she was flirting with Ethan?" she asked in shock.

"No idea but the name I heard wasn't Ethan." he said then looked at his watch. "Sam, do you see that your dreams were just paralleling reality? That they were just that, dreams?"

"No, because this is the dream. I LIVED THAT OTHER WORLD." she said "I was there, for every single moment of what I told you."

"Sam, yourself this... if you were there, how is that possible, did you sneak in and watch as these moments happened. Were you acting like a voyeur."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Alexis was counting the days as she sat by Molly's bedside. When she first came up with her plan, from the moment she had found out her eggs were still fertile, all she had thought about was how Sonny and Sam's child had saved Kristina from this exact same disease.

She thought about the time she had spent, sitting by Sam's bedside, telling her how she would be a hero for saving her sister. She couldn't help wondering if she had contributed to this mess. When the results had come back, that the same stems that saved Kristina would work for Molly, she had begged, borrowed, and finally stole what she needed to save her little girl. 

The day that Kelly Lee had told her that she couldn't carry the child, the day she had hatched her desperate plan, the day the doctor she had hired confirmed that it was Molly's best chance. Alexis had finally seen for the first time her Cassadine roots. Molly wasn't as sick as Kristina had been, but they knew it was coming and she wasn't going to lose her daughter, not when there was a way to save her.

To protect Drake, Lee and the staff at GH, she had contacted Claudia Zachara, gave her Sonny's mental health file in exchange for the name of the doctor who would do what she wanted, no questions asked.

The Italian woman had surprised Alexis when afterwords, she had told her that she would have helped without the file, but that she appreciated it. That no one would ever learn what she had given her in exchange. Thankfully the woman died, Alexis wasn't sure she believed her, but it had become a moot point with her death.

That day she had gone to her friend Kate Howard; the day the woman had agreed to seduce her ex fiancee as revenge for all that he had done to her. Now, Sam was yet again pregnant with Sonny Corinthos child. Alexis had already vowed to take care of the little girl she was carrying, the child would be her granddaughter, her other daughters both niece and Kristina's half sister. 

She had had Sam's eggs extracted, then the sperm that Kate had gotten implanted within them. Finally, her rather shady doctor Devlin had implanted all four eggs within Sam, only one had taken and now within days, her only chance of saving her very sick daughter was within reach.

Kate had gone to see her cousin who was a patient at GH when she saw Sam McCall, awake and wondering around. "Shouldn't for the safety of your child you still be in bed?"

"I was thinking about that." Sam drawled, the child she was carrying had convinced her that this world, this reality was the dream. Because if she had been unconscious as long as her mother claimed, there was no way she was four months pregnant. Shuddering because if she was pregnant from before the ball, the father would be Lucky Spencer. Sam just breathed a sigh of relief then said "I have a question for you. Did you get shot at your wedding to Sonny?"

Escorting Sam back to her room, then sighing at what she was doing for Dante's sister and Alexis' daughter, Kate helped her back to bed then let her mind drift.

Sonny had been keeping secrets, big ones that had cost her so much including the child she had been carrying. 

Back in 2008; Johnny was at Jake's when he saw two men conversing then one slip something over to the other in an attach case. Later, outside, he saw them again, this time what was clearly diamonds from the glint off the stones were exchanged.

Calling Morgan he said "I think I just saw a hitter get paid to take a shot at someone."

Jason hung up and told Cody and his other men to be careful. "The Russians more than likely hired themselves a hitter."

"What about Sonny?" asked Cody. All were wondering the same. Sonny wanted the power back and in a bid to get it, had made a deal with a Russian drug dealer by the name of Karpov, he and his attorney Sasha Donev were causing small problems all over the state.

Hesitating, Jason said "I will go and talk to Sonny, yet again. Maybe he will finally get that this is no longer a game."

Once he was gone, Cody looked at the men remaining and said "Sonny is going to get us killed."

Meanwhile Jason was entering the mansion after warning Max what he had seen. The guard had taken the reeducation well, had even admitted later that he had had doubts about grabbing that sweet Jones girl but with Sonny's temper, he had been worried what the man would have done if he hadn't kidnapped her while Mikey had been gone.

They discussed the new set ups and what Max had agreed to in regards to be allowed to still protect Sonny, then Jason entered and heard his former partner talking to a dark haired woman. He saw the dimples come out and knew that this woman was going to be the man's next conquest, hell he hadn't even married Kate yet. Their wedding was the very next day.

"Jason, this is Kate's cousin, Olivia Falconari." Sonny acted the congenial host, while both of his guest could care less who the other one was.

"Mr. Morgan." she drawled out, not wanting to deal with yet another mobster. Olivia was in town for one reason and one reason only to convince her cousin to keep quiet about her son. Kate however had been begging Olivia to release her from her promise to keep her son a secret. 

Nodding he said "Sonny we need to talk." 

Kate walked in then said "I thought your father was going to be your best man." 

She had seen Jason and assumed he was there for the small dinner they were throwing for wedding party after the rehearsal dinner. Kate looked at the other man, it was the first time she had seen him at the house since Sonny had so royally screwed up and married her assistant.

She had let him sweat it out, after the annulment, made him work hard to get her back and now that she was back, the mob had to stay gone, or else.

"He is." Sonny was sweating a bit, he had promised Kate he was out, after what had happened when the guards had screwed up the kidnapping of the Jones girl. When he had talked to Karpov he had made a mistake in that the man wasn't a normal businessman, he didn't play by the rules.

Jason was refusing to fix it for him, had told the Russian to his face he wouldn't do business with him and now he found himself caught between a rock and Jason Morgan. Looking at the woman he had wrapped all his future plans of respectability up into, he said "Jason just stopped in to wish us, well, isn't that right Jason?"

Deciding that Sonny was on his own, Jason just smiled then approached the dark haired man then whispered, "You pissed off Karpov and he hired a hitter. I told you not to mess with the Russians, you are on your own."

Kate had just said I Do when Sonny heard something then saw her fall forward. Shouting out for help, he fell to his knees as blood spread from the back of her gown. When he realized he wasn't hit, and that it meant the bullet was still inside of her, he looked around and saw Max's face and he knew that this time Jason Morgan wasn't coming to his rescue, not without incentive. 

At the hospital, Olivia went off on Jason who was there with Elizabeth planning their time away in Italy. When she slapped the man, Elizabeth had had enough, even more so when Carly showed up and started to blame Elizabeth for what she considered Jason abandoning them.

"Carly, shut up. You are right, I am responsible." she snapped then seeing the others looking at her in astonishment she looked at Jax who had remarried the blond to get legal custody of Morgan and then at Olivia and said "Because if I had told Jax or Kate how you showed up at Jason's office last month, worried that the two of you had had unprotected what was it you called it to excuse your behavior, I know, redo sex in the limo when you dumped your son off at the nearest rehab facility, there wouldn't have been a wedding today."

"YOU BITCH!" shouted Carly while Olivia looked at the blond with distaste as she recalled her verbally attacking her cousin for kissing Jax on the night that had happened. "How dare you, you had no right, none trying to turn this around and blame it on me. I am not at fault. Besides, we were married at one point, that makes it okay."

Snorting, Elizabeth saw Patrick coming down the hall. When he asked if the marriage had been finalized, there was a resounding no. "Fine, Ms. Falconari, I need you to sign off on surgery for your cousin. We have to remove the bullet which is lodged millimeters from her spine."

Taking the papers, she signed then slapping Sonny then Carly ordered them away. Calling Dante she listened to his voice mail message and left one of her own. Hearing the doctor ordering the brunette into scrubs, she said "Is she really the best choice to be in there?" 

Patrick looked at the woman then said "Yes, she is." 

Six hours later, Jason who had gone home to be with their boys hung up the phone when the guard called to let him know Elizabeth was done for the day. Once they were in bed, he called Cody to get what his men had found. "It was them. Jason, we saw Sonny talking to Karpov, he was a little high strung. If Harper hadn't shown up, I think he would have killed him right then and there."

Meanwhile Sonny had gone to Jason's house and been turned away by what he considered his own men. Promising retribution, he drove to the one place he knew he would find someone who would want access to the territories. "I have a deal for you." 

Claudia looked at him then leaned back in her brother's chair and said "You have nothing I want." 

"Wrong again. I know that your brother and Jason have been negotiating regarding the piers 27 and 31 docks. I can get them for you; at no cost if you do one thing for me." he bluffed.

"Since you are a has been, I can't think how you will do that." replied Claudia. This man, this little man had called her a slut, a whore, said she was nothing for doing nothing more or less than what he had. Yet, because she was a woman, he had tried to make her feel bad for having sex with him. She was going to make him pay for that, one way or the other.

"Grab Morgan's wife, make it seem like it was the Russians. Put her in a small space. She was grabbed years ago." Claudia froze, then looked at the man who suddenly smiled and said "Yeah, now I have your attention. As I was saying kidnap her, then send him tapes of her being held." 

That this little man, this bastard would even suggest such a thing. Claudia thought about the truce her brother had with Morgan then said "I will give it some thought but what do you want?" 

"My old territories back and when Jason hears Elizabeth begging and pleading for her life. He will toss them back in my lap. Trust me, Elizabeth Webber could make Jason do whatever she wanted." sneered the Cuban.

Claudia knew that Sonny was sick, after all she was the one driving him over the edge, but this, to set up his own partner's wife. That, that went beyond sick and into selfishness and power hungry. 

"Wouldn't it be easier to grab one of the kids." she asked. Seeing his frown, she said "You have no problems with suggesting emotional torture, when you suffer from the same problem but kidnapping a kid for a few hours." 

Sonny had no intention of letting it go that far, just enough to get Jason on his side again, but she didn't need to know that. "Jason loves Elizabeth because she gave him a kid, nothing more. But kids, kidnapping them. He won't stop until he burns the town down. Besides, I have seen you looking, with the wife gone, Jason will be vulnerable, he always is when without a woman." 

When the man had left, Claudia said "Did you hear all of that?"

Coming out of the corner fixing his belt, Jerry said "Yeah, word of advice, don't fuck with Morgan."

"Find out what I need about your brother's business, then we will talk about your own plan." said Claudia who then went looking for her brother. She found him beating the hell out of a man in their father's playroom. "What did he do?"

"He was the hitter; rumor was they were looking at you as well." he said then told his people to get rid of the body. "You were right, but sending Jacks after the Russians, are you sure you trust him."

"No, but I have something for you to watch." Showing him Sonny's visit she asked "What do you think?"

"He is dangerous to our truce. I will go to Morgan, for now watch your back." he warned. 

Kate looked at Sam who just smirked from her prone position in the bed. "Anyhow, Jason and Elizabeth had already left for Italy to protect their kids. It sent Sonny over the edge and he shot Karpov, then Carly stupidly gave him an alibi." 

Sam knew that this had to be a nightmare, after all there was no way that Jason would abandon Sonny, just no way. "What happened next?"

Certain that Sam didn't want to know her own family's drama, she left out about a drunken Johnny and her cousin but her own mind went to what she had been told.

Olivia asked for another drink then swallowed the shot whole. "Wow there little lady, you might want to slow down some." 

Looking at the bartender in the rundown little bar she had found, Olivia snorted then said "Just keep them coming. I won't be driving." 

Her mind went back to what Dr. Drake had told her. Kate had been pregnant, that she had miscarried. Drinking the next shot; her fifth, she looked around for a diversion and saw the man entering the bar. When he sat down two stools from her and ordered a drink, she listened as yet again the bartender stuck his nose in private business. 

"Are you sure you should be drinking?" Johnny thought back to what he had seen earlier that evening, Georgie dressed up; laughing in the diner while talking to the man he knew was Dr. Matt Hunter. Then the two of them still smiling and laughing as they left to go to the movies. 

He had gone to take care of business, then had looked at the blood on his hands and decided that tonight was going to be the night he got over this because clearly she was not interested in him. Ignoring his heart which kept sending him back, he just glared at the greasy man and said "If you can't mind your own fucking business, just leave me the bottle." 

"He is rather nosy." said Olivia taking a good look as she moved to the bar stool next to him. "Are you out to have some fun or to drink your troubles away?" 

Glancing at the older woman, his first instinct was to tell her to fuck off but then thought about it, why not take her up on what she was offering as she reached out and ran her hand up his leg. Looking down, he watched, detached from reality as she cupped him under the bar. 

Hearing laughter, he turned and watched, frozen as the foursome walked in. Georgie and her sister along with that geek and the young doctor. When SHE removed her coat then challenged the doctor to a game of pool, Johnny's eyes followed. "Coleman, can I get some quarters for the tables?" 

Johnny sat there frozen, there was a strange woman with her hands on him, making it clear she wanted sex and yet, some part of him knew that all it would take was a smile from this girl. Instead he got an impersonal "Hello." 

Turning she seemed to light up with a huge smile, if he had looked Johnny would have seen that her eyes looked in pain and her hands shook as she placed the quarters in the correct slots and asked Matt if he was any good. 

Making a decision, Johnny tossed down a couple hundred dollars, he took one of the keys from behind the bar, two bottles of the hard stuff and turned to the woman and said "Are you coming?"

"No, but I certain hope you are up to the job." she whispered as she stumbled up the stairs behind him. Looking back, she saw the girl with the tears in the brown eyes and thought to herself, that besides getting laid, she might be doing some good. Girls like that don't belong with dangerous men like the one she was hoping would make her forget all she was dealing with.

Georgie just thanked god she was leaving the next morning for school in Italy. Hopefully a year there would cure her of this helpless crush she had on a man who seemed to see her as a pal, a buddy, that faithful friend that Spinelli called her. 

In Italy, Jason was amused as Elizabeth prepared the room. "You know, normally I don't pay any attention to the color of the rooms for whoever I have house sitting. But hey, if you really..." 

Leaning down to kiss his now pouting wife, Jason asked "When is she arriving? And do we have time before the boys returned with Audrey to take a nap?" 

Standing, she moved in closer and rubbed his arm. "Are you tired?"

Growling no, he picked her up and carried her down the stone walkway and up to their bedroom. As the happy couple spent the afternoon tucked up in bed with one another, they discussed what was waiting for them in Port Charles in between working on that third child they wanted.

"I really just want to walk away." he confessed. "If it wasn't for the mess I would be leaving behind, I would say call Georgie and tell her we don't need someone to stay here but that our Venice house is available if she wants to use it."

"We can't." she said gently. "Jason, like you said we have too many people we care about still there that can be caught in the crossfire. I just hate that Sonny went this far." 

Burying his head in her shoulder, he said "When this is over, we need to consider finding new friends." 

Holding onto her husband, her mind on what John Zachara had told him and all she could think was how had Sonny gotten this far gone and what would it take to bring him back to being the man she had once considered Jason's truest friend. 

Kate looked up and saw Sam was asleep, leaving the hospital, she saw Maxie Jones talking to Patrick Drake and felt for the man as she recalled what else had happened during that time. Robin, his wife had gone into labor and after giving birth had died.

The man had walked around for several weeks like he was half dead himself. He had even gone so far as to avoid his daughter, convinced it was his fault she was growing up without a mother. It had taken Mac Scorpio locking him in a jail cell with the baby to jerk him back to life at least in regards to his daughter. 

Kate couldn't help wondering why women like Sam McCall got to live, yet others like Robin Scorpio who deserved long lives got nothing but tragedy.

__

In Sam's dream world, she was triumphant. She was going to give birth yet once again Jason was no place to be found. Cursing a bit, she pouted as she finally found him in the chapel of all places. "Jason, are you worried about my giving birth, don't. Dr. Lee promised."

"_Uncle Jason." _

_Sam saw him stand and reached out to grab the kids' arm. "Go away, talk to him later. Why the hell can't you stand on your own for just one day."_

_Michael ignored her and said "That escort, Candy it went wrong, Uncle Jason terribly wrong."_

_Sam knew this couldn't be a dream because dammit, nothing was going her way._

Waking up, Sam just looked around, waiting to see what world she was in. When Dr. Webber entered, she said "What do you want?" 

"I am here to take your blood pressure." he stated evenly. 

"What, like I would trust Elizabeth Webber's brother to be my doctor." she sneered.

Blinking a bit, he replied. "Sam, it's blood pressure and two am. Now, shut up."

"I will make you pay for that." she complained. When he left, she had an idea and stood. Walking down the hallway she saw Mac Scorpio talking to someone outside a well guarded room. "What is that?"

That annoying nurse Nadine stopped and said "Oh, that is some model. Someone took a shot at her and Mac Scorpio wants to talk to her about the Russians who were in town this month."

"Russians?" she asked.

When Sam set down, Nadine thought about it then decided to see if she could help her favorite co-worker Elizabeth by making this woman see reason.

"Yeah, Sonny Corinthos supposedly killed their boss two years ago and then things really went haywire."

It was late in the afternoon when Nadine and Leyla were on the roof as saw the fireball then the trucks from down the street rolling. "What was that?"

"Oh my god." said Elizabeth who had come to get them. "That looks like the fire is near Kelly's and the coffee warehouse that belongs to Sonny."

The trucks were soon overwhelmed as the Cannery, also Sonny's property was on fire. Checking with her guard, Elizabeth was assured that Jason was fine at the moment. Heading back to work, she missed seeing her guard call someone. "They are in the laundry room. Bins four and five. Dead."

"Morgan wants to tell Elizabeth himself." he was told as he followed the woman to the Emergency room. Two men, unknowns had tried to grab their charge while she had been changing after surgery, the guards had dealt with them, but Jason wanted to know more.

At the end of her shift, Elizabeth hurried down to the studio where Jason had asked her to meet him. "Jason, what is it?"

"Sit down." he said grimly. "Elizabeth, I have had a guard on Lucky since he got out of jail."

"You are scaring me, did he do this?" she said waving her arm at the fire nearby.

"No, that was the Russians, Elizabeth he tried to grab the boys today." he told her bluntly. "Two men came after you, I think in connection to that."

"OH MY GOD!" she replied as she thought about killing the man. "My babies, where are my babies?"

"Our boys are fine." he said then saw her face Swallowing his anger, Jason said "He had a cabin ready, in the woods."

"Where is he?" she spat out. "I want to face him, to let him know."

"Gone, he fled when he realized he was going to be grabbed." The men's first priority had been protecting the boys, so Jason wasn't angry with them, but he really wished they had grabbed the SOB. 

"Why didn't your men shoot him." she demanded then saw his face close up. "Jason, not for me, please don't save that jerk, if he goes for our boys, or endangers us again. Forget our misbegotten past, I have. Take him out. I won't let him." 

Holding his trembling wife, he gave her the rest of the news. "Claudia Zachara is at the penthouse."

"Spinelli must be in heaven." she said dryly then asked "Why is she there?"

They hadn't used the penthouse since getting married, the computer geek still lived there when Jason wanted to isolate him, when he needed an office but for the most part it sat empty just in case they had to use it for protection.

"She was thrown in the water. Her brother is bringing her some clothes when it is safe. Right now, she is wearing your old bathrobe." he stated then winced while closing one eye. For the first time in hours, Elizabeth had something to laugh about as clearly Jason thought he was in the doghouse.

"I am fine with that. I think her flirting and hitting on you, is like a cat, sniffing and scratching. It's how they learn things." she pointed out. "Who did this Jason? Did they come after you, or just Sonny?"

"Just Sonny but it was a warning. I want you and the boys to head to safety." He had already started to prepare that, but this mess with Lucky had delayed things.

"Let me get our bags." she replied. Then saw his face. "They are already packed, aren't they?"

"Yes, I am sending you to a safe house." he stated. "I can't send you to Italy, Sonny went to Bernie recently, he might know of our house."

"We should warn Georgie then." she reminded him of the twenty one year old attending school and house sitting for them at the same time.

"She is safe, I am worried about you and now that Sonny has been pushed into corner how he is going to react." An hour later, at the safe house, Elizabeth was nervous, something wasn't right; she wasn't sure what it was but something was off. 

Calling Cody she said "It might be nerves, but can you double the guards."

"I already did." he said then listened as she seemed to be counting. "Mrs. Morgan, what is it?"

"I only count four, Cody." There was a scuffle then silence...

Calling Jason on his back up phone, Cody said "The safe house, something is wrong."

Speeding across town, Jason entered and saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. His hands were shaking when he picked up the note. "Morgan, if you want baby's breath and the little ones back, you know what I want." 

Jason knew Jerry Jacks was at the hotel, has been all afternoon. He had had guards on the man since he arrived back in town. 

Looking at the note he knew to be fake, then starting to fall apart, Jason saw Elizabeth's wedding ring on the ground and fell to his knees in despair, what he had heard on that tape between Sonny and Claudia making him sick as it played in his mind even months later then he saw it under the sofa. 

Reaching down, he pulled it out. A white rose petal. "Find Spencer, now! Tell Spinelli not to leave the penthouse, I want him to look at every single surveillance camera, every single ATM. Lucky that bastard, he has my family." 

Just to be on the safe side, Jason called his family warning them that he thought Lucky had grabbed Elizabeth. When Emily showed up at the penthouse he was now using as an office he tried to figure out where the man would take them then made a call. 

Dammit he thought to himself, he needed to get his act together. How could he have forgotten that damn cabin, Spencer didn't know they knew about it. "Cody, I know where he is." 

When his sister got in beside him, he snapped for her to get out. "No, because Lucky since he got out of jail, he has been a good little boy, something that should have made me realize. I told him that you and Elizabeth were happy, that you were talking about more children. I caused this." 

At the cabin, Elizabeth was tied up to a chair as Lucky set the table. She could hear her sons crying and begged to be allowed to go to them. "NO, we are having dinner. See, I brought you flowers."

Hiking in from the road, the men in black, looked in the window and saw the two adults, in back they saw the two children and gave soft chuckles. "Which one is it again?"

"Take the smaller one, that older kid looks like a biter." said the man. Breaking the window, he heard the man in the other room start shouting as he grabbed the kid who was screaming along with his brother and tossed him to the man outside.

When the second boy bit him, he pushed the kid away and said "Annoying little shit, aren't you."

"Don't you dare take my brudder." he was told. Lifting the kid, he was trying to pass him through the window, but the kid kicked him in the groin. "Fuck."

"You said a bad word, my mommy is going to be mad at you." he said and then added "My daddy is going to get my little brother back and you are going to be in real trouble."

Tossing the annoying brat at the bed when he ripped at his hair, the muscle flipped out of the window just as Lucky unlocked the door and screamed at the brats to be quiet. "Shut the hell up."

"Mommy, mommy some men took Jake." he called out. Lucky looked out the window, thinking good riddance until he saw they were stealing his car. "Hey, I just bought that."

Pulling out his gun, he started shooting at the car while Elizabeth screamed something at him in the back ground. "What is your problem?"

"Stop firing, you could hit Jake." she yelled then said "Untie me."

"No." he retorted as he locked and slammed the door to keep Cam inside "And who gives a crap, those fuckers just stole my car."

When he went back to fixing dinner, she looked at him and shouted. "Dammit, Lucky this isn't a game, someone just kidnapped Jake. Get some help, call Jason, for gods sake."

"No." he growled then threatening to gag her said "It was probably him, after all he only married you for the kid."

Cam who was in the bedroom saw a shadow at the window, then grabbed the long stick near the door. As he heard shouting in the other room, he took a swing at the man coming in. "Ouch!"

When the man fell the rest of the way in, Cam lifted the stick again then saw it was Mr. Cody. "Mr. Cody, did you grab Jake?"

His blood freezing, Cody lifted the little boy and kicked down the door just in time to see Jason untying Elizabeth. Emily who had come in with Jason looked at the man holding Cam and said "Where is Jake?"

"The bad men took Jake. Mommy he said a bad word when I bit him." Cam looked at Cody and said "I's sorry I hit you."

"Don't worry about it, little one." he said then saw the expression on Jason's face and knew that Lucky Spencer was a fucking dead man after they found out who grabbed Jake and rescued him.

Elizabeth was hiding her tears, trying not to scare Cam while Emily went to hold her nephew. Jason looked at his enforcer and said "Take my family home, I am going to search."

"I am coming with you." said Elizabeth. When he went to protest he saw her eyes and said "Emily?"

"We will be okay with Cody." then asked quietly as Cody, Cam and she left. "What about Mac, you called him about Lucky."

"Tell him we are fine." he replied then when they left kicked Lucky then asked Elizabeth to show him where the boys had been. He was leaning down, looking at the blood drops when they heard the sound of footsteps.

Elizabeth looked up at Lucky who ordered her to get Jason's gun, well aware she wouldn't shoot him."Now, Elizabeth."

Her hands shaking, knowing she was Jason and her only hope, she lifted the gun out of Jason's waistband, Lucky made the mistake of taking his eyes off the weapon and keeping them on the person he considered the threat. "Lucky."

Looking at Elizabeth, he smartly kept his gun on Morgan, only to feel his chest catch on fire as she fired at him twice then when he fell checked his pulse and finally handed Jason the gun.

Checking Spencer, Jason said "We have to go." Outside, he told two of the men returning to deal with the body, then he helped Elizabeth into the black truck and pulled out. "Tell me what you know."

In Port Charles, Cody took the Quartermaine daughter to the penthouse where Johnny was talking to Spinelli who was excited. "Where is Stone Cold, I have data he needs?"

Listening, the bald man went to the kitchen and called Jason. "The roadhouse and Jason, there was phone chatter between Sonny and Karpov's attorney. An hour later, the hit on Sonny was called off."

At the roadhouse, Elizabeth listened when Jason told her to stay in the truck as he called his men. Within a half hour, there were twenty men all with one mission to save Jake and not shoot anyone until that little boy was back in his mother's arms.

"Elizabeth." Jason helped her out of the truck, then handed her the gun. "Stay close to me, we are going in the back door."

Scared but knowing that her son's life depended on it, she stayed close to Jason then when they were just inside, listened as someone made a call. One word caught her attention... moving closer to Jason she said "Королева (ka-ra-lye-va), Jason that is the Russian word for Queen."

"What?" he asked not sure why that mattered then she mouthed the word Helena Cassadine at him. Getting what she was indicating, he saw Jake sitting on the floor playing with something with only one guard on him.

Hearing footsteps, he heard someone calling to that guard. "Valasily, we will be leaving soon. Make sure the kid is ready to travel."

Jason saw the man walk toward Jake and saw the drink in his hand. Getting nervous, he slipped in and knocked the bastard out. "Elizabeth, take Jake." 

Holding her little boy, she was soon outside with four guards just as Jason carried Valasily to the second truck then told his men. "No one, I mean no one gets out." 

"Understood." The place lit up as Elizabeth held Jake, then he pulled off the gravel parking lot. At the penthouse, Elizabeth saw Cameron who shouted his brother's name then said "I told that bad man daddy would bring Jake back."

"Daddy sure did." Jake was now awake and looking around a bit. Reaching out for Jason, he was soon back asleep curled up on his father. Jason sat there, his heart beating rapidly at how close he had come to losing his family.

An hour later, they were at the station talking to Mac Scorpio about Lucky, leaving out the fire when Sasha Donev walked in. When she pointed out that it was great they had rescued Elizabeth and the children from Lucky, she tossed out. "And luck was all it was. Who knows what will happen next time."

"There won't be a next time." Elizabeth said coldly then leaned in and said "You can tell that bitch you work for, that if she comes after my children again, I will kill her like I should have last time. Tell your Королева Helena that she made a very bad mistake."

Sasha back off, then went to the docks. "Your highness, Elizabeth Morgan knows you were behind the kidnapping."

"No, you fool, she doesn't. She only suspects." snarled Helena who then made another call. "Take her out, make it look like Morgan did it. Then retreat, we will have to come at this another way. But in the end, Mr. Morgan will do my bidding."

Sam had fallen asleep, now even when in the real world, things weren't going her way. Jason had seen Brenda do something and had married the annoying model. Sam had protested, saying he should have told the police what the woman did, only for Jason to point out that he had covered for her.

Now awake, or asleep, Sam was losing track, she thought about it, then recalled that none of that had happened. She had been the one to rescue Jake, not Elizabeth. She was the one who had shot. Wait, no. Wait, had that been Elizabeth? Her mind was starting to turn to mush. 


	4. Chapter 4

Jerry slipped in, he wouldn't do anything just yet, he owed it to Alexis to let her save her little girl, but Sam was going to die. "Jerry, why aren't you dead?"

"Well sweet Sam, reports of my death, well they haven't been greatly exaggerated, well except apparently in your mind." he replied. "You on the other hand, we all thought after you got sick when Helena Cassadine let those chemicals loose here in the hospital, that you were a goner. No, thought isn't the right word, there either. More like those in Port Charles that know you were dancing in the street at the idea of you being a goner. Too bad, it didn't work out that way."

Jerry had to stay hidden for a few hours, looking at the confused woman in the bed, he thought about it then decided to stay and torment her a bit with what she had lost. As he started talking, Sam just made plans to tune him out, then like the story in her mind, it seemed to include parts there was no way he should know unless he was peeking in windows.

It was icy cold out as the various members gathered to celebrate the successful fundraiser in memory of the late Robin Scorpio Drake. Even Helena who had her own plans that evening, which should have warmed her cold icy heart was freezing as she waited for word that her plan had been a success. All she needed was a distracted staff and the fire her people would start to cover up her past mistake. 

Johnny was not happy, for some reason, his sister was demanding he attend this hospital party. He had better things to do, like getting the hell away from Dr. Hunter who had announced to Mike Corbin while waiting for his lunch order that Georgie Jones was coming home for this fundraiser honoring her late cousin.

Leaving the diner, he glared at the doctor then at Corinthos who was heading into his warehouse. The man was still alive only because the Russian bastard that Morgan had grabbed stated Corinthos was being set up, Helena wanted him dead and until they figured out why, he was going to live. 

At the hospital, he saw Elizabeth Morgan wearing a simple long moss green dress talking to Edward Quartermaine and was amused to hear her convince the man she wasn't pregnant just because she was drinking a soda. "Sir, you have two grandsons, be happy with what you have."

When he wouldn't let up, she was getting annoyed when she said "Why don't you ask Ned or Dillon for grandchildren?"

"Because Ned had a girl and didn't do it right. She is more Cerello then Quartermaine." It was one of his major complaints, that Brooklynn was living so far away from her family.

"And our little girl, would be more Morgan and Webber." she pointed out while laughing. Seeing Carly Jacks there turned her stomach considering the blonds well known dislike for Robin Scorpio but for some reason, yet again, Jax had forgiven her. When she saw the man he looked miserable even as he tried to smile. "Jax, how is everything?"

"Carly is pregnant." he said trying for happy. She saw him watching as the blond once again showed herself in a public setting by asking someone do they know who she was. Looking around, he saw Mac Scorpio and went over to talk to the man knowing if his wife saw him talking to Elizabeth, there would be hell to pay.

Mac left, after patting Patrick on the back who looked around, feeling desolate at this being in memory of Robin, instead wishing she was there to be bored to death just like him. He tried to give a smile when he saw Maxie looking at him, clearly worried about his mental health. He was glad when he saw her leaving with Matt, who knows maybe just maybe his brother might get a chance with the woman he had fallen for.

Seeing Georgie glaring at someone, Patrick walked over just as his beeper went off. "I will be back, but since everyone else left; you have to stay." he pointed out to the younger girl. When she just gave him a sick half grin, he went to find out what the heck was going on. 

Meanwhile, Claudia got her first real live look at the young girl who had her brother in knots for some reason. Pretty yes, and from the sounds of things, smart and friendly, yet why didn't she seem to figure out that he had feelings for her? Then hearing Lulu Spencer who stopped in to see her boss and pouting when she was told to go, talking to Georgie, the mobstress knew there had to be a story there. 

Especially when the brunette walked to a window and seemed to be gathering her courage. She gathered herself then slowly circulated through the party, very carefully avoiding Johnny. She watched as the girl wearing the soft pink dress, kept fussing at her sister then teasing the doctor about something then look at the last group, the one containing her brother, Jason and Elizabeth Morgan.

Then she saw it, the quick look at Johnny, the surprising misery in her eyes, then the anger. Looking over she saw Johnny had walked over and was talking to Kate Howard and her cousin and wondered what that was about. When she turned around to see where the girl went, she saw her talking to the old man she had been told was Edward Quartermaine and seemed stressed.

Halfway through the party; almost the moment the Quartermaines left along with Kate Howard, there was a rotten egg smell, followed by the doors locking. "What is that?"

"I can't believe this." moaned Georgie when she saw that most of the guests were already gone. All that was left was the Zacharas, Johnny's dark haired bar babe, the Morgans, the Jacks' and Georgie.

Hearing laughter, Elizabeth turned white then looked at Jason before saying. "Sonny is missing and that was Helena laughing."

"Are you sure?" he asked then looking around the room saw Carly glancing their way then passing out. She woke up to Jax holding her and wanted to shrug off her husband's hands but didn't dare. He had made it damn clear she was on very thin ice with him and Jason hadn't even so much as nodded her way.

Patrick went to the tenth floor hub and was told they were evacuating patients. Turning he said "The lower floors are being emptied. We have to wait."

Trying to reach the party, he figured the phone system was being affected and tried first Elizabeth's, then Georgie's cell phones. Nothing. Swearing he saw the CDC entering wearing hazmet suits. "Is that really necessary."

"Dr. Drake, we have had two patients die from this, we need to know what is in those canisters. Can you handle an autopsy." Nodding he just prayed he made it home to his daughter as he cut open the dead woman and watched as the two men photographed her organs and took samples. Being told the patients were slowly being quarantined, he recalled why he was wearing a suit.

"We have a private fundraiser going on, most of the hospital board is up there."

Things were orderly and organized as they got the patients and staff to safety until Luke Spencer who had shown up looking for his daughter, shot one of the cans. Soon, the hospital was a raging fire ball. Getting it under control, Chief Wisman told his firemen to use foam to cover the hot spots just before the helicopter flying the guests from the party off the roof landed.

On the ground, Carly was checked out and closed her eyes waiting for the ax to fall. She was relieved when the doctor from County confirmed she was pregnant. Hiding her smirk, she went to find Jason, needing to share the news with her best friend.

Instead she was told he had left, taking his wife home with him. Sitting down in the shabby overcrowded waiting area at the charity hospital, she watched as the others soon left. Georgie gave a sad laugh when she realized no one knew she was here.

"Georgie, do you need a ride?" Johnny asked. He had seen the girl who was still starring in his dreams after Olivia, his occasional lover from last summer had asked him for a ride.

"No, thank you." she said politely but inside, knowing that jealousy would be eating her alive if she saw them all lovey-dovey or if she had to make nice with the woman. "If you will excuse me."

Walking away, she hurried into the nearest hospital room and closed her eyes in a vain attempt to stem the tears. "If you are a doctor, why wasn't I allowed to go? Oh, it's you." said the scornful tone.

Open her eyes and wondering why Claudia Zachara was looking at her with disdain, she said "I will find a doctor for you."

"Do that, then do us all a favor and hop back on a plane to Europe, isn't it?" she said looking at the girl who had broken her brother's heart. "Johnny doesn't need to have you around. There are tons of girls begging him for dates. He doesn't have to wait around, like a love sick fool on some girl who acts like he is something she has to scrap off the bottom of her shoe."

"Lady, do you have the wrong end of the stick. I don't even think you brother knows I am female. And I have no interest in being just another number. You have it wrong, from what I saw, he prefers women your age; you know, old." she snapped then slammed her way out the door. 

Offended at first, Claudia thought about what the kid had been saying and laughed, well well, turns out her suspicions were right, the girl wasn't so indifferent to her brother after all. For now, she would do nothing, but who knows, that might be something to look into later on 

Sam ignored Jerry taunting her about how Jason and Elizabeth had gone back to Europe soon after, how they had spent the summer traveling because Sonny had been returned and Helena had disappeared. How rumors was Helena was dead at the hands of Jason Morgan. 

Carly had given birth in September, that very same day Jasper Jacks had filed for sole custody of his daughter, citing what had happened to her two sons. She was granted visitation, and when Jax had offered her a choice in godparents, she had chosen Jason only to be told he wasn't acceptable that the blond had made it clear when Jax had talked to him that he had no interest in making that mistake with Carly. 

The rest of the summer went quickly. Michael had come home from his new school that he loved for part of it. He had seen Keifer, a guy he knew from when he had attended school in Port Charles with a bad reputation hanging around his sister and had quietly talked to her. She had opened up to him that they had been quietly dating and that she was being pressured to sleep with him. "I told him I couldn't, not without birth control. So far, it's keeping him away."

Michael had talked her into publicly staging a big scene with Alexis regarding that issue. The entire world knew her mom was a control freak and when she said no, there was a good chance the jerk would move on. Michael had debated it, but after a long talk with his guardian, Monica, she had called over Mac Scorpio and the boy had warned the cop about the kid.

Kristina had found out her mother was furious with her question and had been shipped off to summer camp, grateful to be away when she heard that Keifer had gone to jail for beating up his next girlfriend. That his parents the Bauers were publicly tormenting the younger girl and her family saying she was lying. Well aware of her close call, she shuddered at all that could have gone wrong.

When Michael had called, explaining that he had gone to his Uncle Jason, then told him all that was going on, after being upset and embarrassed but finally admitted to being glad when she heard that she would once again have guards. No matter what her mother thought of it.

The Mayor was having problems of his own as a result of the Bauer mess. First one of his biggest supporters son was arrested for almost killing a girl, then his wife started to act strange, he was convinced she knew about his latest mistress, but dismissed it when she was so friendly with the woman.

To make matters worse, Spinelli who had taken a PI Class online had been following the man, at the suggestion of Maxie, his bff. She had suggested using him as a test subject, unaware that the man didn't understand the concept of fidelity and found out he was having an affair.

When the woman was murdered weeks later, the geek had turned the file over to Mac Scorpio who had been shocked to find out it was Mrs. Mayor, Lydia Garrett who had killed the woman. To cover her tracks she had caused a car accident at the annual summer carnival.

Edward Quartermaine had almost died and that brought home the Morgan family. He had been drugged, causing a heart attack and he knocked down two tents and almost a row of games with his Bentley. When Elizabeth and Jason arrived home, he was just being released from the hospital, but two of the people he had hit were still patients.

Unfortunately coming home meant dealing with Carly Jacks who was working on becoming Carly Corinthos again. They had had a few close calls with the woman then she had gone silent when Jax had arranged for a surgeon to come in and save Morgan.

At first aghast that Morgan's parents weren't doing more, Jax finally figured out that Carly had the out of sight out of mind attitude, but that Sonny had been contacting Drake regularly for updates and asked what could be done for his son.

Jax, who had truly bonded with Morgan during his brief marriages to Carly had done whatever he could for the little boy, determined to help him wake up and have a life. Jason when he heard what was going on, furious that Carly and Sonny seemed to have forgotten about their little boy that they had just sent to a clinic and left there, had also been looking for someone to help Morgan. He had been happy that at least Sonny would go to visit the little boy, but Carly only went once every couple of weeks.

The day the little boy woke up, Jason and Elizabeth were quietly talking to Jax outside while Carly was in with her son. Looking at him, waking up convinced her that it erased all the bad that had been happening. "Jason, come in, Morgan is awake."

Bringing Elizabeth with him, he saw the little boy was scared then watched as Patrick rushed in. Removing the tube, the first words the boy spoke were to ask for Jax, sending Carly into the stratosphere along with Sonny who was having troubles all his own.

He kept having blackouts and instead of telling someone, like his therapist, he just kept track of them, writing them down. Now, he had to explain to Mac Scorpio where he was when Claudia Zachara was murdered only he had no idea.

Jerry told Sam all about how Claudia Zachara had died at the hands of the artist known as Franco not Sonny who had been under suspicion all summer and fall. "It became known when his painting of her dead body showed up in an art gallery near the airport." 

Johnny stood at his sister's grave, watching the rituals of death. Returning home, he had the guard hand him photos of all who had been there. One picture caused his eyes to narrow and his mind went back to a visit with Claudia that February when the doctors wouldn't let her leave the hospital. 

Going between the pictures and the memory, Johnny asked himself. "What on earth were you doing at my sister's funeral, Ms Jones?" 

"Sir, there is a woman to see you." Putting the pictures away, Johnny thought about Morgan's offer from this morning and was seriously considering accepting it. 

Looking up, he saw Olivia Falconari. Grimacing, he sat back in his chair and said "Is there something I can do for you?"

Seeing how uneasy she looked, he cut to the chase, "Let me guess, you want to know if I know what my sister was blackmailing you with?"

When she sat down across from him, he said "No, I don't. Don't care either. Look, Olivia, I should have never been sleeping with you."

With a caustic laugh, she said "You really don't know, do you?" 

"Know what?" he asked then saw his newest man entering. "Did you need something?"

Wondering why his mother was visiting the latest target of his undercover job, he said "I was told you wanted to see me."

"Excuse us, Olivia." he said then walking to the hall, gave him the photo and said "I want to know everything you can find out about this woman. Do you have a passport?"

Nodding yes, he saw his boss pull out a large amount of money. "You might need it, she has spent a lot of time in Europe and might head back there. Follow her, I want to know everything." 

Shocked to see the PC police commissioner's daughter in the picture, he went towards the door. "And Dominic just watch, don't approach. If I find out you were too close, if you get my meaning, you won't like my response. Keep her safe."

Leaving, still worried about his mother, he went to meet his boss. "I might have something."

Explaining he said "Do you think he is looking for blackmail material against her father? Or even her?"

"I don't know, but find out." When his boss had left, Dante called his mother's phone and requested they meet. At the diner, he saw the pretty blond and asked "Do you have time for some dinner?"

Lulu grinned then looking around said "It looks like it is going to be slow tonight."

At the Zachara house, Johnny listened as Olivia explained what his sister had been up to. "Let me get this straight, you have a son, whose father is Corinthos? I get why you kept it quiet, but why would you agree to my sister's order to befriend Carly." 

"Because I agreed with what she was saying. Sonny is a slut, but acts like he is a saint now that it is done, I am going to concentrate on working for Jax. Let the woman figure out for herself that our friendship wasn't real."

When she left, Johnny called his people and said "I want everything you can find on Olivia Falconari and her son. No, I don't know how old he is. My sister did some research, get that and use it as a starting point."

December 2009

At Christmas time, Johnny was standing looking out his window when Dante entered. The mobster had known who the younger man was, but had kept quiet, liking the idea of having a cop protecting Georgie. But Morgan was right, he had been playing dangerous games and it was time to cut him loose.

Looking at the man he said "I know who your father is." 

"What?" he asked blinking. His heart had been racing convinced Zachara knew he was a cop.

"I met your mother, last year at Jake's. We were together a couple of times." Not adding that he had been drunk out of his mind the three times he had had sex with the woman. "I know that you are the son of Sonny Corinthos." 

Scoffing, Dante looked at the man then said "Yeah, right... you are..." His eyes saw Johnny's, then said "What do you know?" the detective asked, worried that his career and his life were about to be blown out of the water. Who his father was didn't matter, after all he hadn't had him in his life all this time, now, well other than doing damage to his reputation, it wouldn't affect him at all.

"I have known you were a cop almost from the beginning." Well that was true, he just hadn't known that he was the son of the woman he had slept with.

"Why keep me working for you?" he asked now a bit worried he wouldn't make it out alive.

"You had your uses." he replied his mind on pissing off Lulu Spencer and protecting Georgie at the same time.

"Georgie Jones, she was just what, to keep me busy." he asked as he thought about all the research he had done on the girl including the few meetings he had found out about between the mobster and the student in 07 and 08. 

"No, you were there to protect her. I got a kick out of having a cop keeping her safe." he replied; mainly because he knew the idiot man was gaga over Lulu. However he didn't think that would last long. The blond had taken her cousin's advice and kept her abortion from the man.

"Why do you care?" he asked. "She certainly isn't you type. Not a one night stand kind of girl."

"No she isn't." When Jason joined him, he said "Sit down Dante."

The man froze at the blond mobster entering the room with a man he most definitely didn't want to see. Once down, he only hoped that his mike would get all of this, since he was about to die. That he was now sure of.

"Sonny, I would like you to meet Olivia Falconari's son. Dante." Jason saw the man's face and knew he was in shock. "Yes, he is your son. Dante, this is your father. Oh, and we are here for one reason, to prevent blood shed."

Sonny looked at Jason, then back at the kid, then at Zachara. He had been working behind the scenes trying to get his territory back. Jason had told him on the way over the Zachara family had a cop trying to work them. Now, to know that if he went through with his plan, it meant going up against his son.

"There is more, you have been being drugged. Nothing much, just enough arsenic to cause trouble." 

"Who?" he snapped even as he got that he now had a way to force Jason to break this stupid and unneeded truce with the Italian. 

"My sister." retorted Johnny. "And don't you even start on her, we both know what caused her to go after you. The attack on me, your verbal assaults against her." 

"That was no excuse." he replied then looking at Jason snapped "You had better deal with this." 

Johnny stood and moved closer "Don't even think about threatening me. Let me make it damn clear, I have lived my last few years, protecting those I care about because of you, you sick bastard. You had Georgie Jones grabbed." 

"What?" asked a startled Dante as he thought about the beautiful young woman living in Italy. Then he saw it, the look in Zachara's eyes and knew, the man had feelings for the police commissioners daughter. That was one land mine he didn't want any part of. Then grimaced at the idea of this man sleeping with his mother, clearly it hadn't been out of love. That was a road he didn't want to go down, especially not with his mother. 

"Daddy dearest here, grabbed her and had her locked in an empty nut house because he thought I had something to do with his son being gone. Instead, it turned out the kid ran away. This after pushing one of our mutual enemies too far and she had been grabbed and taken to a monastery for almost a week and locked up about six months earlier." 

Dante saw the look in the mobster's eyes, then looked at the man who somehow was his father and then back. Glancing at Morgan, he saw the other man just shaking his head when Johnny played for Dante a tape of his father threatening Elizabeth Webber. "Now, here is what is going to happen, Corinthos." 

"Don't you talk to me that way, you are nothing more than a punk kid who got lucky when his daddy died." he stood and then tried to walk away. Dante warned him he was coming after him as he left and went to see his boss, knowing he was going to have to resign from his assignment.

Johnny watched, then destroyed his office. Jason sat there, then said "Did it make you feel better?"

"No dammit. Why are you so calm?" he snapped.

"Because at the end of the day, I go home to the woman I love, to my two sons and hold them tight." he replied. "I see it hasn't gone away."

Jason couldn't help thinking that maybe Elizabeth was right, there was a serious lack of communication going on and if things worked out the way he planned, that would have to change.

"I don't think it is going to." he said bleakly. At the door, once Morgan had pulled away, Johnny went back to his now solitary life.

Jason on the other hand went to his new office, then after checking on things went home to where his wife was hanging up the phone and laughing about something. Seeing Jason, she said "Steven will be dropping off the boys in a few minutes. How did it go?" 

"Not well. Dominick's real name is Dante Falconari. Sonny didn't take it well, but then neither did his son. Plus, I don't think he has heard about the offer that was made. When he does, well, let's just say that I am glad they came to me, not him." 

Hugging Jason, Elizabeth curled into him then said "I have some news that might make you feel better."

Encircling her waist, positive he already knew, Jason looked down and said "When?"

Pouting a bit, she said "August, the 27th."

Sam listened as she was told about Sonny going to jail, then being transferred to Shadybrook. "He got clean of the arsenic. Then was put on a better dose of lithium, Sonny opened a restaurant last year, stays out of business. He spends most of his time trying to reconnect with his kids."

Jerry took some pleasure in knowing that he hadn't been successful. Dante loathed that his father was a criminal. After losing his cushy undercover job, he now worked for the PCPD, the only good that had come out of it, in spite of his father going to jail was that Dante had gotten the girl, such as she was.

Michael, lived with the Quartermaines and was immersed in school and the discipline he had found there, Jerry had been amazed when Jax told their mother and him how the teenager had stayed in contact with him. Had even thanked him for saving his brother.

Morgan had had help from Alexis Davis and now spent half the year with Jax and half with Sonny now that he was out of the hospital. The pre teen rarely spent time with his own mom. As for Sonny's daughter, Kristina treated both her parents with disdain, preferring to hang out with Michael.

No one was going to tell her that Jason and Johnny had teamed up to work together. That in spite of the SEC, the FBI, the ATF, none had been able prove there was anything illegitimate going on. And with Georgie Jones working for Jason, most had come to accept that they were clearly out of the business.

When Sam was alone, she felt the baby move and was now worried, something was wrong with her pregnancy, she shouldn't have felt this much so early. Trying to calm down, certain she was overreacting, Sam hit the call button then asked for a sedative.

Down the hall, Alexis looked at the calender then prayed that someone, somewhere forgave her for what she was going to have to do. 

Rejoining her oldest child, she sat down waiting for her to awaken when she did, she heard Sam asking about Franco and said "That is a horrible man. I guess I should start with how he grabbed Elizabeth who had just announced she was pregnant. He didn't harm her, just forced her to look at his paintings." 

"He didn't plant a bomb under her?" Sam asked knowing that Elizabeth unlike herself wouldn't have been able to handle it. The other woman would have freaked.

"No, because he was killed the next day in a police shootout. Dante shot him to save his girl friend, Lulu Spencer who has been pretty quiet the last few years." Alexis could still recall how terrified the blond had been, how she had gone to stay with her mother who was now living in Paris for a month.

"What about Maxie, they slept together?" Sam was getting desperate, she needed something, anything to be the same.

"Maxie, Maxie married Matt Hunter." she was informed by her mother who seemed to be growing slightly distant.

"No, she was supposed to marry Spinelli." she insisted. She could still recall what had happened after the non wedding, how Jason had let her make him wear the pink tie, how they had spent a romantic Valentines together, reading a gun magazine. Frowning a bit, she shook her head, no, that doesn't make sense, a gun magazine?

Alexis looked at the girl then said "Spinelli and she are best pals, but dating, I don't think so. She married Matt Hunter this summer. It was a lovely ceremony."

"What about Kristina and Molly, why haven't they come to see me?" she asked. "I want to see them,"

"Kristina won't visit you, Sam. When Ric left town, she found out about you sleeping with him." she told the angry young woman. Alexis knew that Kristina was furious about Sam, but even more so with her for sitting more with Sam than with Molly. "She lives with Sonny right now."

"Wait, I was told Sonny almost killed several people." she protested now certain she had proof that this was a dream. 

"He did, but since the new drug regimen and Morgan taking over things have been calm. The last murder in Port Charles was a domestic violence case. Some kid that Kristina used to go to school with, his father killed his mother. No mob violence in quite a while." Well since the mob wasn't an issue anymore. Alexis thought about it, then decided she hadn't lied. 

"Jason must be bored out of his mind." she snickered recalling how he had been so eager to rush out and find trouble. 

"He has been rather busy, Sam. No time to be bored. Elizabeth gave birth to a little girl in August, plus Cameron is in school. They built a house out near Vista Point but travel to Italy frequently." 

Sam felt her baby kick, then cramping. "What is going on, it's too soon for me to be having-" 

"No, Sam it isn't. You are almost nine months pregnant." Alexis decided that since Sam didn't have much time, now was the time to tell the truth.

"That's impossible," she snapped. "I want to talk to Jason, now!"

"Jason Morgan won't come Sam. He hasn't been in your life for over three years. Now calm down so that your baby can be born." Alexis said not adding what she really wanted to.

"Then if Jason isn't the father of my child, who is?" she snapped, something was off, this dream, well nightmare really was becoming painful. Did dreams cause pain?

"Sonny." replied Alexis as she called Dr. Lee. "Sam is in labor."

"No, that isn't possible." she stated. "I-I-"

Looking into her mother's eyes, Sam knew something was wrong. "What did you do?"

"You are going to give birth tonight to your late daughter's full blooded sister. I will raise her, not even Sonny knows about this child. You will more than likely slip into a coma. At least according to the doctors who advised against your being pregnant. Then you will die. And Kelly and Patrick, they have no proof that I was the one who did this. Oh, I am sure they suspect, but I made damn sure that there was no actual proof." 

"Why?" Sam had tears in her eyes, she didn't want to die, not when she had so much to live for. She had seen Elizabeth was dead, she knew that this was not really happening but she had heard when you die in your dreams, you were truly dead. Looking up at the woman she once again asked "Why would you do this to your own daughter?" 

Alexis looked her straight in the eyes and said "To save your younger sister. Molly is sick and you and this baby are the only way to save her." 

Sam could feel the blood, then saw her doctors entering, struggling to stay conscious, she was soon out of it and felt herself floating on air even as in the distance she heard Dr. Lee talking about doing a c-section.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Alexis waited, knowing that she had to hold it together so that she remained above suspicion regarding Sam. Sitting alone in the small room waiting for the baby to be born, she looked at the wall, then out the window at the early darkness descending as her mind went back to the moment her world was rocked. Alexis was called to GH by Steven Webber and given the news that Molly was indeed sick. 

Early 2010 

"I am sorry, Miss Davis, do you want me to call someone for you?" he asked not sure even who to call as the middle aged woman sat in the chair opposite him and just looked off into space. 

Standing, she said "No, there is no one, at least not right now. How long do we have?"

"I can't give you time, right now, she is a healthy little girl, that could change at any moment, just like it did with Kristina." he pointed out.

Walking down the hallway, she saw Elizabeth Webber who was working a bit more regularly now that Jason had partnered up with John Zachara. Stepping into the elevator she saw the woman laughing with Epiphany Johnson about the photos she was showing the older nurse, while Monica was pointing something out on the other side.

At home, she sat in her living room with a glass of red wine, the only light coming from the nightlight she kept on in the hallway. Resting her head against the seat of the sofa, her butt numb from sitting on the floor, she felt her life from the moment Molly was born flash before her.

Then just as she was about to give in to the pain, she thought about it and started to make plans. Making a few calls, she went for her appointment the next day and was not completely stunned when Kelly Lee explained that she couldn't get pregnant.

Leaving the room, she went visit her daughter, something she did at least once every other day, knowing that no one else came to see her. Spinelli had had for months, but then he was offered the job of working at the casino last summer.

When he came back weeks later, there was a change in the geek, oh, he was still a geek, but one that didn't seem to be so obsessed with his goddess. Then as he spent more time with Maxie Jones, his new friend and sometime partner in mischief, Sam became an occasional thought, until now, she was pretty much forgotten.

Across town, Jason was looking at the calendar, Elizabeth was never real thrilled with Valentine's day for obvious reasons and then this had come. Holding up the tickets, Jason grimaced but decided to call his wife just in case he was wrong. "How do you feel about a romantic weekend playing detective?"

Hearing silence at first, then laughter, he said "I gather you already know?"

"Monica called, Skye invited her too, offered to introduce her to some single men, said that Alan wouldn't want her mourning him forever." Elizabeth knew that Skye was guilting anyone she could, she had taken on this job of state fundraising chairman for the American Cancer Society very seriously. However, the red head was also using it to repair the distance between herself and her family.

"I bet that went over well." said Jason as he tried to imagine the discussion. "So what should we do with the tickets? I was thinking we sent my new partner with my new assistant."

"I think if you do that, there might be a real murder." she said cheerfully. Her wonderful husband seemed to think that he could fix things for the two of them, but Elizabeth knew that only Johnny and Georgie could do that. "They still don't know about each other yet, remember?"

"Good point." he said then motioned in his sister who had just returned from Boston. "Your best friend is here, should I bring her home for dinner?"

"Really, Diane is there?" she asked facetiously then looking at the roast she was making for dinner said "Tell Miss Emily her nephews missed her and that she isn't allowed to leave town ever again."

The younger woman sat down then when she was told what Elizabeth had said "I will be there, but I need some help. Skye sent me these tickets, yes, it is a great cause, and I already bought a spot. But I don't want to go, I have plans this weekend. But Mom thinks we can't at least send someone."

Taking the tickets in her hand, Jason looked at the set in his and then up at his sister. "How do you feel about giving them to Georgie?"

"Yes, she might like attending this; I know she reads mysteries all the time." Emily rushed off to find Jason's assistant while her brother went to make a phone call of his own. His partner groaned then said "Yes, I will do it. But she is your sister; you should be the one attending."

"Skye and I barely know each other." said Jason then later that night told his wife what he had done.

Looking at him, she said "I think you are in so much trouble."

"Georgie won't hurt me." he said more hoping than believing. Since she had spent time with their family in Italy, she was more comfortable around him and he had seen that besides her sweetness she had a slightly tougher side that came out in the office.

Jason had kept her working for him quiet, well aware that Johnny had been trying to figure out what she had been up to since returning to Port Charles. He had been upset to have to go to Miami just after Christmas and still had no idea that Jason had hired the younger girl nor was she aware that they were partners. Bernie, Diane and Cody were all keeping the secret.

Two days later, Georgie arrived at the fantastic Lake Placid Lodge with her sister since Matt was going to be working for the holidays. When she had asked Elizabeth if she thought Jason would mind, the nurse had given her a huge grin then said "I am sure that it would be perfectly fine."

Maxie walked into the front lobby, well aware that Kate Howard wanted her to take a good look around with the thought of using this place in a photo shoot this summer, she missed seeing a dark haired man who ducked behind a post when he saw her with her sister.

Johnny meanwhile was on the phone to his partner. "Morgan." said Jason who then laughed as Jake pretended to answer a phone, mimicking what his father was doing.

"Something you forgot to tell me about Emily's guest?" he heard. Sitting on the sofa, he put his feet on the coffee table, waiting to see what Jake would do next as he answered. When his son copied him then lifted his juice cup like Jason had his coffee, it took all he had not to laugh at the picture his son made. 

"No." he replied. Seeing his wife entering, his eyes narrowed then looked at the cat that ate the canary grin on her face as he answered "No, I wasn't aware of that, but I am sure Elizabeth was."

Hanging up on the man, Jason said "Elizabeth, do you know anything about Maxie Jones soon to be Hunter joining Georgie."

Walking over she lifted both his and Jake's feet off the table then reminded him about teaching the boys bad habits before adding "Matchmaking, Jason, it's a very bad habit and one I wouldn't expect from you. As for Maxie, why, yes, I heard she might tag along."

Standing and following his wife as she went up the stairs, he soon stopped her just outside of her studio and said "That wasn't part of the deal."

"Tough, next time don't leave it so open ended." she said before kissing him. "Jake, Mommy is going to sketch, want to join me."

Looking torn for a bit, Jake thought about it; Daddy was being naughty or Mommy who made him keep his feet off the furniture then said "I wanna play with Daddy."

Back at the resort, Johnny listened to where they were staying then groaned, they were in the only other suite on his floor. Walking over, he said "Hello ladies are you here for the weekend?"

Hiding her shock even as she felt her suddenly sinking stomach clench, Georgie said "Yes, for the murder mystery weekend, what about you?"

"Yes, our business bought a couple of tickets, so Jason suggested I attend." he replied never seeing her eyes narrowing. She certainly hoped that that partner wasn't Jason Morgan or her new job was about to become hell on earth.

"Enjoy." she replied then groaned when Maxie stopped Johnny and invited him to partner up with them for the chase. Soon they were sitting in the pub deciding between Jumbo Lump Crab Salad Sandwich with Avocado Mousse and Seasoned Chips and the Radiatore Pasta with Garden Vegetables and a Pesto Cream Sauce.

Georgie pretended nothing was bothering her, that they weren't eating with the last person she wanted to when she heard her name being called. Standing, she hugged Skye like she was a life preserver. The red head looked at her then at the dark haired man then with a cheeky grin said "Maxie, my assistant was supposed to help with a special guest; I was wondering if you mind stepping in."

Taking the offered photo, Maxie gave a sigh, if Kate found out she turned this chance down, she would be in the dog house for the rest of her career. "What do you need, Skye?"

Ignoring the glare from her sister and what was a clear pout of betrayal, Maxie almost squealed when she found out that one of her favorite designers needed someone to partner up with. "I will do it."

Skye thought about the call from Jason, after her shock at his request she had agreed to help. It had taken a call from another guest to give her the perfect plan and one that would help her out as well.

Georgie whispered traitor then took the offered packet from Skye as she watched the waiter bring their food. Johnny saw his chance and said "Guess that means we can partner up."

"Sure, sounds like fun. You can pretend to be the brother I never had." she replied not meaning a word of it. The Italian winced at the suggestion; his feelings were anything but brotherly. When Maxie read what they were offered as guests this weekend, she almost jumped up excited when she read they had a choice of any of the massage treatments.

"See, they will even send the masseur to our suite." she said perky enough for Georgie to consider dumping her water glass over her head. "I think I will try the Reflexology treatment. What about you?"

Johnny almost offered up his entire pack of freebies if she would go away and leave him alone with her sister but then Georgie grabbed the menu and said "Definitely the Swedish, this sounds nice. A traditional massage using kneading, gliding, friction and vibration techniques to ease your mind and relax your body."

Coughing to hide his sudden reaction, Johnny shook his head to get out the mental image her words had caused. He could find another activity that used kneading, gliding and friction, hell, he would even provide the vibration if she was interested in relaxation. 

When he noticed them looking at him, he just said "Swedish, yes that sounds like the way to go."

Getting up, he tossed his room key card to the waitress telling her to charge their lunch before heading out to find the indoor pool he had read about. Hopefully they didn't heat it.

Back in Port Charles, Jason hung up the phone then went to find his wife. "Skye says hello."

Her eyes were now narrowed as she said "Jason Morgan, what did you do?"

Audrey, who was entering with Jake to get his forgotten toy motorcycle, listened as her great grandson announced that daddy was being naughty again then tried to tug her hand towards the playroom. She stopped to laugh when she got what was going on. That was one thing she never thought she would hear, Jason Morgan trying to play matchmaker.

The blond decided to distract his wife, so she couldn't counteract his move, thankful that Monica had Cam that evening and Audrey had just picked up Jake. Soon he had her in their bed, sated and breathless before saying. "You know I am right."

Glaring, she stood, grabbing the sheet and went to shower. "I don't know you are right. I think we did just fine once we started to talk to each other."

Grabbing his jeans and pulling them on, Jason went down to grab his cell phone only to see Audrey Hardy standing in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea. Shocked, he did up the button on his jeans, and then hurried to the laundry room where he hoped to find a shirt.

Returning he started to apologize for not being dressed. "I am sorry; we didn't hear you pull in."

"No, you were rather occupied with spiking your wife's interference in your plan. As for why we are back, Jake was looking for his motorcycle when he curled up on the sofa on the playroom and fell asleep, I didn't want to leave without letting you know he was still here." she said with a raised eyebrow. "So how is Skye?"

Sinking into a bar stool, flushing as he got that she had been there when he had chased his wife up the stairs, he said "Fine, Skye is fine."

At the hospital, Alexis sat in Sam's hospital room, feeling a bit sick at what she was now considering but then she looked at her daughter, really, really looked at her. Molly had finally gotten sick, it was only the beginning and Dr Webber was looking for help, but she knew, they both knew a family member was her best bet.

She had a name, the doctor she had talked to before, the one that Claudia Zachara had recommended in exchange for Sonny's file. She had talked herself out doing this then, but now, now her little girl wouldn't make it if they didn't find the right donor. And the perfect one was right here, and couldn't say no this time. All she had to do was come up with a plan.

She thought she had arranged a hopefully successful plan that wouldn't have her spending time in a jail cell more than likely for whatever they could throw at her. Even as she made the call, she started formulating her defense if it ever got that far. Making the call she asked. "Do you still have those embryos I asked you to create from the genetic material I provided?"

"All safe and sound in a nice cold freezer." replied the doctor. "Have you changed your mind?"

"Yes, and for the delay, I will offer you extra incentive to do this quickly." she said.

Devlin thought about it then said "Half a million now, then when it takes, the second half."

"750, at both ends, as long as the baby is implanted, this weekend." she said.

"Nice doing business with you." he replied then hung up and went to make a call to the clinic.

Alexis looked at Sam, then tried to figure out if she felt bad for what she was doubted she would ever wake up, even if she did, she was trouble but did that give her the right? It was difficult but she had looked at this from all sides and this, this seemed to be Molly's best hope. 

At the lodge, things didn't go that smoothly. Georgie and Johnny teamed up, they did well, but on the last day, after getting their second place prize, Georgie said "See you back in Port Charles."

Blinking a bit, he had hoped that the time they had spent together would help them return to at least the friendlier terms that they had once been on. They had attended snow bonfires, used snow shoes to look for a clue and had more fun looking than in finally finding it.

A game of chess that had been a draw, he had even managed to surprise her by playing the baby grand in the gallery, but all that had done was draw attention from others staying there, not her. She just had gone to the small bookshelf and found a book.

After getting away from the ski bunnies staying there, he had found her in the small fireplace room on the second floor, curled up reading with a cup of hot tea and scones on the table next to her.

"Hey, how about heading out skiing before we head home?" he asked. He knew that Maxie was going to New York with the designer on Kate's behalf. Maybe this would give them time.

"No, thank you, I have a long drive." she said politely before leaving him. "It was fun, Johnny."

In Port Charles, Jason arrived at the office early Tuesday morning and found Johnny already at his desk. "Since when do you come into the office?"

"Apparently I should, since we have gained an assistant." he said quietly. "I know that you think I am wrong, but after this weekend, I know that I am right."

"So what happens now?" Jason asked "You do what, ignore this. Johnny, it seems to me that after two years, you might want to admit that the feelings aren't going to go away. I have been there; I lost almost five years with Elizabeth because of similar nonsense."

Johnny looked up and Jason saw something there. "I am not walking away, trust me on that. Instead I figured out that I am going about this wrong. I have stayed away, hoping she might decide that she missed me. Now, now I am going to be so close she will think I was tattooed on her rear." 

"Not a mental image I need, thanks. Now can we get back to work, because this emotional angst stuff drives me crazy. I have already lived through it then had to deal with almost a year and a half of Spinelli angst." Jason felt itchy on the back of his neck as he tried to figure how he had ended up caring about this. 

"You did not just compare me to that ..." Johnny glared then took the file he was reading and left. Coming back he glared at Jason and said "She is getting off the elevator and I need to tell her I work here."

Heading through the door to his own office, Jason made sure to close it firmly then called his wife.

"Are you free for lunch?" he asked as he started to go through the files on his desk. Seeing Bernie entering, he laughed at Elizabeth's suggestion then said "I will see you there."

Jason looked up to see his assistant entering his office, and then sitting across from him drinking coffee. "Georgie, I thought you didn't drink coffee?"

"After my lovely morning it was either coffee or I was going to go buy out the Godiva chocolate store in the mall. I thought something strong which I don't like versus something fattening that I do. Denial is a very lovely thing." She said darkly before looking up and saying. "The manufacturing plant in Melbourne is having production issues, do you want to invoke the penalty clause or give them a chance to fix things?"

Over the next month, things went haywire. Sonny who was let out of Shadybrook had been furious about the business, even more so when Jason made it plain that he didn't have a part in the new venture. The former mobster had tried to create problems for them only to be kidnapped one night and pulled in front of the five families.

His former guards Max and Milo were warned to keep their boss out of trouble; that an agreement had been reached with their father Maximus. Then Sonny had been pulled up in front of them.

"Corinthos, this will be your only warning and you are only getting this out of respect for your ex-partner, Morgan. The mob is no longer your business, if you so much as talk to someone connected; make so much as one offer to help, if you so much as think about returning, we will kill you. If by some unlucky accident you find yourself in any bit of power, no matter how much you think it will save you. It won't. You will be dead, no exceptions."

"You can't do that." he protested as he stood to argue his case. "I have been a good—".

"No, actually you haven't. Without Morgan, we all agree you would have been taken out years ago. You aren't capable of running things and keep grasping for more and more power. That is how we end up in jail and you seem to be addicted to that power."

"All I want is what I had." He retorted. "At the very least I deserve that, to have my old territory back. I have proved it before, Jason Morgan wasn't always there and I did just find without him."

"Corinthos, no, you didn't. Get a new life, your old one is gone." he was warned by Guillermo. "No second chances."

Sonny had gone to Jason, determined to at least replace the kid as his partner in the new company. "Oh course there needs to be a name change, something catchier; maybe using our own names adding and sons, for our own kids. Michael someday can take over; run things like I have always done. And the kid, well he can't stay. As for hiring Georgie Jones, the girl went after my son and is the reason he doesn't." 

Jason stood then opened his door. "Sonny, you need to leave. We are not going to be partners. I am not changing the name of the company, and Georgie Jones, stays. She had nothing to do with Michael not talking to you, nothing. That is on you. Now, if I were you, I would find something else to occupy my time with."

Sonny stood, glaring at his former partner and vowing to make him pay. Once in the limo, he kept the window down and said "Max, find an in for me with Jason. Then check and see who that Zachara kid has been dating. Plus I want someone in town who can..."

Max looked into the back seat area then said "Sir, I can't do that. I am sorry sir, but the families made it clear. We are working for them; our job is to keep you out of Jason's hair and away from the mob. Sir, maybe you should consider opening a restaurant or something?"

At home, walking through his empty house, Sonny finally arrived at the wall that separated his estate from Kate's. They had slept together just before he had gone to jail, wondering if maybe he should consider reopening that door, he slipped through the gate and was about to knock on the side door when he saw her with a man.

Pulling back in shock when he saw that it was Mitchell Coleman, he retreated to his house and decided to call Olivia. The woman on the other end of the line listened then sat there in stunned disbelief before saying. "I am too busy."

Hanging up, Olivia looked at Jax who was holding his six month old daughter and then at Morgan and felt guilty at the idea in her head. Pulling on her coat, she left the penthouse and went to see her former lover. Within minutes of Sonny being told that Carly had lost Jax, she went home knowing that this was not a good idea, but hoping if they kept each other occupied, they would leave Jax and her alone.

Easter 2010

Elizabeth entered the office, having just returned from Kelly's. Shuddering at what she had just seen, she handed Georgie her usual only to be thanked then told "I have a lunch date today."

Johnny, who was leaving Jason's office, saw the younger girl getting ready to leave and stopped her. "I am sorry Georgie, Matt is going to have to wait. We need to work on the figures from the Australian deal. They are still having some delays and we have to figure out what to do regarding the contract."

Looking at the man standing in front of her, she kept inside what she really wanted to say when she saw the woman getting off the elevator. Johnny had been spending a lot of time with his bar babe and here she was yet again showing up at his office.

"Johnny, are you ready for lunch?" she asked as she looked at Georgie then ignoring her greeted Elizabeth who just nodded in return as she took Jason in their food. She was not a fan of Olivia Falconari before and with what Coleman had let slip, she was once again reminded of a different version of Carly Corinthos.

Georgie thought about it then said before her boss could answer. "OH, good, since you have plans, I can make that lunch I have planned with Matt."

On cue the doctor got off the elevator carrying flowers. When he handed them to her then kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear "In thanks for your help. Maxie picked them out when we met at the florist today."

After admiring the lovely peach roses with baby's breath, Georgie went to get the vases they kept and after watering them, placed them on the desk in the office. "Johnny, I will see you later, about those numbers. Have a good lunch."

In Jason's office, after a quick lunch, they were discussing the holidays while avoiding the one subject that was still touchy for them. Jason was not happy about it but knew they had to figure out what to do about it. "Elizabeth…"

She knew what was on his mind; she just wasn't sure how to handle it. "I know, but seriously Jason, is now the time to worry about this. Easter is this week, then we have the boys birthdays coming up."

"And that is why we need to talk about this." He said slightly exasperated with her. He had to admit this was probably not a money problem most marriages dealt with. Yet here they were almost married for two and half years and she still refused the credit cards, her name on his accounts.

Seeing her stubborn face, he said "Diane and Bernie are not happy, do you have any idea of the problems this causes for them. And you are just being…"

"Being what?" she said dangerously. "I don't want your money; I make plenty of my own. It's not like we don't already pay all the household bills from your accounts."

Rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, he looked at her then asked what really bothered him about it. "Elizabeth, are you doing this; are you doing this because you think we are going to get divorced?" 

In shock, she looked at him and realized that this was truly bothering him, that it was more than Diane and Bernie's legal and accounting concerns. "No, its just Jason, I hate depending on anyone, it has nothing to do with…" she almost said you then saw his face was hidden again. "Jason, its just so many people for them money is about showing off what they have. My mother included. I like knowing that what I spend is what I earn." 

"We are married Elizabeth. That is part of marriage, how about this. What happens if tomorrow I lose everything, would you not…" 

"Of course." She said huffily then got what he was saying. Sitting down, she said "How about we compromise. We put my name on a few accounts and the rest we have me as in charge in case you are incapacitated."

"The credit cards?" he asked.

"Since I have to argue with Bernie about his not paying them anyhow, I will cancel mine and use the ones he has for us." She said with a slight pout.

"I have a better idea." He said then called Bernie. "Close all our accounts, and set up joint ones for everything."

The first of May, Jason came off the elevator to find Johnny pacing back and forth waving a newspaper around. "What are you doing?"

"Have you seen this?" he asked. He shoved the paper in Jason's hand then asked him. "My god, how can she do this to her sister, I mean, Georgie of all people doesn't deserve this."

Not sure what was going on, Jason opened it up and read the wedding announcement. "Did you read the article or just the headline?" Hunter/Jones elopement.

"What does it matter." He growled then got ready to head out. "I will be back later. Poor Georgie, no wonder she called off of work."

Not sure why Johnny was so upset about Maxie Jones marrying Matt Hunter, Jason went into his office and called Elizabeth. "Do you have any idea what is going on?"

"No idea, but maybe he knew all the work she was putting into the wedding only for it to be moved up so suddenly." Elizabeth then asked "Do you think you can take Jake with you tomorrow, so that Emily and I can get the house decorated."

"I promised both the boys we would head to the park." He added "Remember, no climbing that is why you have help coming. If I hear from Emily that you aren't behaving, you won't get your present."

"You don't play fair." She said laughing as she hung up the phone. Calling her grams, she asked "Can you do me a favor."

Listening, Audrey thought about it then asked "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I know it's wrong, but yes. I can't take my mind off what she did." Elizabeth had been thinking a lot about what Sam had done when Jake was born, and now, pregnant with his sister, she just needed to confront the woman, tell her what she thought of her even if Sam never woke up.

Johnny pulled up in front of the Scorpio house, he had driven there without even thinking. Looking at the bag in the seat beside him, he sighed then thought about it. Even if she didn't want him around, hopefully this would make her feel at least a little better.

At the door, he knocked then seeing the doorbell, pushed the button. Looking around, he saw no lights on inside and was getting worried when he heard behind him. "Johnny, what on earth are you doing here?"

Turning the man saw Georgie wearing jogging clothes and removing what looked like an iPod as she came up the drive. "I took the day off so if you need reports, go ask..."

"I know, look, I am sorry but..."

"I am not coming in today, I am not ready to face..." before she could say one more invoice as she unlocked the door, she found herself sort of gently pushed inside. "Uh, look, I really just need sleep, can we..."

"I know, look, I came by because I was worried about you." he said. She blinked a bit then before she could reply he handed her the shopping bag. "Here I brought you a present. I asked the girl at the video store, she said that usually these are chosen for something like this. There is popcorn, a few pints of something called Cherry Garcia and Rocky Road. Oh, and my idea, a bottle well, really a magnum of red wine. Dinner will be delivered from the hotel at six, and I got that crab dish you liked so well."

Georgie wondered if the man thought she was dying he was being so solicitous of her. As she stood there, her mouth open wide as she just stared at him, he handed her one more thing. "It's a gift card. Whenever Claudia; well I don't think any of her relationships ever lasted that long. Anyhow it's to the spa, well maybe that isn't a good idea, it might bring up memories of Maxie." 

Johnny couldn't help it, he just couldn't shut himself up and then he had to go and mention her sister, what the heck is he thinking he thought to himself. Way to go, you wanted to make her feel better, not more depressed. "Anyhow, I will head back to the office but if you need me, just call." he said then hugged her awkwardly. 

There was a knock on the open door and when the deliver man entered, Georgie looked at him in a slightly distracted glance then back at Johnny as the man handed her peach roses. "Er, thank you, just let me get my purse."

"No, that's fine. Dr. Hunter took care of it when he arranged for the rest of them." the man said with a smile.

Johnny growled, then took the flowers. "The stupidity, does he really think you want flowers from him after he eloped with your sister, what kind of moron sends the girl he dumped flowers when he ran off and married her sister."

There was a moments pause then she looked at him then at the flowers he was taking to the kitchen, when he started to turn on the garbage disposal, she finally managed to get it together and rip them out of his hands. "Give me those."

"Georgie, if you want flowers so damn much, that you would accept them from a man who screwed you over for your sister, I will have them sent to you ever single damn day. Just give me those." Reaching for them, he found himself slapped in the face with the petals. "Hey!"

Georgie stopped beating him with the flowers as what he had said finally penetrated her skull. "YOU ARROGANT, CONCEITED, OVERBEARING, OVERSEXED, SMUG BASTARD. My sister and Matt have been engaged for over four months, I have NEVER, EVER dated him, he isn't even my type. But of course, you would think that poor sad pathetic Georgie. You prick, get out of my house, and take your damn pity offering with you." 

Georgie took the bag sitting near the doorway and shoved it in his hand just before she slammed the door in his face. Standing on the outside of the huge oak door, he head her screaming in rage, then calling him even more names. Not sure exactly what was going on, he walked to his car and then realized he had left his keys on the counter when he had turned on the garbage disposal. 

Taking out his cell phone, he called for Cody to bring over the spare set he kept at the office and then sat down on the hood of the car, listening to the sound of Georgie threatening to disembowel him through the door. Taking a minute, he thought about who would know then called over to the station where his former guard/undercover cop worked and asked "Was Georgie Jones dating Matt Hunter?"

Dante looked up, then around the station, wondering why John Zachara was calling him and asking about the woman he was in love with. "Uh, no, he has been seeing her sister, they got married yesterday."

Back at the office, Johnny was unhappy to find out that Jason had gone to do something for his wife. He really needed to figure this out. 

Elizabeth hadn't wanted anyone to know she was talking to Sam, but when she had arrived at the hospital it was to learn that the doctors had found out the coma patient was pregnant. Beyond stunned, Elizabeth sat in the waiting room, then saw Alexis arriving.

When the attorney seemed resigned to the news, the nurse saw the look between Patrick and Kelly then saw her brother arriving and knew, she knew that Alexis had decided saving Molly was more important than Sam.

Sitting there, vacillating between still confronting the woman lying unconscious in that hospital bed and going home to her family. Elizabeth knew that some part of her, needed this, needed the closure that telling Sam what she thought of her, would bring. 

When the hallway emptied, she waited until her grandmother and Monica had arrived then entered the room. "Sam McCall." 

Standing there, she just stared at the woman, then snorted in laughter. "I came in here to tell you what I think of you, how you were …. well the funny thing is that now that I am here, I don't give a damn, not any more." 

"You, you are lying there, pushed off the parapet by my ex-stalker of a husband. You have nothing. Your own mother; well you will figure that one out, or maybe not. Either way, I could stand here, throwing insults at you, but in the end I am the mother of Jason's children. I don't need to do this because you, if you were awake, you would have ruined your own life." 

"Sam, I don't forgive you, but you will be forgotten because you, you are nothing." With that Elizabeth walked out the door, stood there and felt a burden lift off her shoulders. "Grams, I just realized something she is nothing to me. Oh, if she were to wake up, she would be on my list of people to avoid, but in the end; she is sad and rather pitiful. Monica, do you think that Alice would mind keeping the boys a few minutes more, there is one more thing I have to do." 

Leaving with Audrey she went to visit Lucky's grave and just stood there, then looked down and said "The lock was cut, Lucky. And now, now you are just a bad memory." 

Monica waited until the two women had gone then entered the hospital room, with a feral grin she looked at the dark haired woman and said "Unlike Elizabeth, I have never had any claim on being a lady." 

Walking closer, Monica leaned down and whispered "You are a low class tramp and I am very glad my son woke up to what a whore you are. When your mother finally turns these machines off, we will celebrate, a nice party sounds good to me." 

"Sam, when you end up in hell, it will be no more than you deserve." she said then walked away. Monica frowned when she saw Sonny down the hallway talking to Emily, heading over she heard her daughter telling the man that she wished him well but that she was too busy to help him.

"What did Sonny want?" she asked.

"Nothing I have any intention of giving him." she said then told her mother about how the man wanted her to talk to Michael. "His son is happy yet, he acts like never mind, he just doesn't get it." 

At the Morgan residence, Jason had just brought home the boys when his wife kissed him then whispered in his ear, "I have plans for you later."

As they prepared for bed, Elizabeth sat down on the bench and told Jason about her visit with Sam. "I got there and just realized, she has nothing and me, I am happy."

"Me too, I still keep going back to my mistakes, there were times just since the night at the penthouse that I was still tripping over my words with you." he said softly. "You, have always, always had this way of making me feel like I want to be a better man but with my life, I just felt so unworthy. It's why I have always tried to guard my heart, because when I look at you, I see such goodness, whether you are with the boys, or even just your friends. You, my love... have..."

Elizabeth pulled Jason's head down to give him a kiss then when he sat down beside her, she said "Jason, I know what you mean, I do. I have always seen you as well my hero, but it scared me. Then when we finally got our chance, I was so scared because I have always seen my flaws as larger than life. I couldn't understand why someone like you could find something in me to love."

"I just don't get it, why didn't you ever tell me." he asked then putting a finger to her lips when she went to answer he said "Because you are as stubborn as I am."

"Can you forgive me?" she asked only to be told there was nothing to forgive because hew as just as much at fault for all he had put her through thanks to his own doubts and fears. Leaning down, Jason claimed her lips, the kiss rough with passion and need as his mind went back to their first night together.

When she responded, Jason teased her, his tongue thrusting in and exploring, then pulling back as if to say prove how much you want me. Elizabeth just grasped the back of his neck, to wanting to bring him in and hold him closer.

Pulling away, Jason kissed his way down her jawline, grazing her ear then moving to the edge of her chin. Nipping that, he was working his way down her throat as he bent down and lifting her in his arms.

Settling her on the bed, his hands reached down and pulled off the loose top she was wearing, then reached down and spread his hand on her belly his eyes closing as he thought about all he had missed last time out of miscommunication.

Elizabeth saw Jason's face and the pain, standing she kicked off her sandals and got rid of her slacks before slowly undressing him. Jason seemed to return to himself and reached down to tug off his t-shirt before kicked the jeans now down at his ankles under the bed.

Pulling Elizabeth against him, as their naked skin pressed against one another, Jason moaned as his mind seemed caught between the present and the night they had created their son. Gently kissing Jason's beating heart, Elizabeth moved first to one aroused flat nipple then to the other, watching as the man she loved eased them down onto the bed.

As they teased and excited one another, Jason looked down and whispered "I need to be inside of you, now."

With a smile, Elizabeth arched her back even as Jason thrust inside of her. Watching Elizabeth's eyes close as she tightened around him, then wrapped her legs around his hips. Jason felt a need to claim her, the same urgent and deep desperate urge to mark her as his. Resisting the way his body wanted to push over into madness, he found himself once again watching her face, recording every single response.

Leaning down he dipped his tongue past the lushness of her lips, then pulled back needing to watch, needing to make sure that this was real and not a dream as the first moments of her climax came and she moaned and arched her back her head pressing into the pillow even as he felt himself getting closer to the edge.

The pressure of her coming sent him into the abyss with her. Shuddering as he came down, watching as her face drifted towards sleep, Jason kissed her, whispering. I love you even as he buried his head in her shoulder and held onto tight.

Once Elizabeth's breath had evened out, Jason moved away just a bit then pulled her into his arms. He knew that she was going to be curious as to what led to this emotional overload and that tomorrow he was going to have to explain but for tonight, for tonight he was going to just hold her close and thank god she was in his life. 


	6. Chapter 6

It was almost four in the morning when Elizabeth woke up thanks to her little girl sleeping on her bladder. Starting to move, she felt Jason's hands tighten as he pulled her close and whispered no in his sleep. When their daughter moved, she relaxed a bit then thought about the loving that they had shared before they had fallen a sleep. 

When Jason seemed restless and moved in ever closer, Elizabeth reached up to where his head was now resting on her pillow and ran her hands through his hair, glad when he seemed to relax and fall more deeply asleep. Kissing the side of his neck, she frowned a bit, worried. She knew the signs of Jason keeping something from her, usually it was work related but now that was no longer an issue.

Hearing him moaning no yet again, she waited until he was again calm then woke him up. "Jason, wake up, okay?"

The blond felt the hands gently soothing him as he awoke then looked at his wife. "Elizabeth, is something wrong?"

Sapphire met cornflower as she said "Why don't you tell me. Jason, what has you so worried, so I hate to say it but scared?"

Trembling a bit, not wanting to tell her, but knowing he would worry her more if he didn't, he reached over and turned on the lamp beside the bed, then sat up a bit. When she was curled up near him, he said "I keep reliving Jake's birth, over and over again. But each time, something changes..." 

Her eyes saw his look across the room, at the fireplace, at the dresser then they met hers with pain in them. "Jason, talk to me. Tell me so I can help you." she pleaded with him.

"I just, I am scared, what if... what if something goes wrong, with the baby, with you?" he asked.

"Jason, Kelly says I am healthy, that our little girl is doing fine, a little too fine actually." she said with a smirk.

"I can't promise it will go perfectly but like she said my blood pressure and weight are fine, the baby is doing everything she is supposed to be doing. You will be in there, with me. I know that this is scary, this is the first time we have been … OH, Jason." she said recalling a past discussion where he had admitted feeling like he didn't deserve anything good in his life and his fear of bad things happening.

Sitting up, she straddled his legs, lifted his face so he could see her eyes before saying. "I love you, I trust you and we, meaning you, me and our children are going to be just fine. And I need you to trust, to believe what I am telling you, please?"

Holding her, his head on top of hers, Jason prayed, then looked into her eyes and said, "Yes, I believe in what you are telling me."

Elizabeth was soon back asleep, the pregnancy taking a toll on her body. Jason meanwhile got up, pulled on some sweats and went to check on the boys. Cam was fast asleep, his head buried under his pillow, his blanket and sheet kicked down to the foot of the bed as his arms and legs were stretched out as if to protect his territory. Straightening him up a bit, Jason kissed him then covered him with the sheet at least, well aware that by morning it would be gone. The eldest of their children, didn't like to be restrained by blankets, it was why during the winter he still wore footed pajamas.

In Jake's room, it was a similar story except the pillow was on the floor and the little guy was using his blanket as a pillow with his feet resting up against the headboard. When he had him turned around, he saw Jake open one eye then yawn as he said "It's too early daddy, still tired." before falling promptly back to sleep.

Walking back towards the master bedroom, Jason stopped at the nursery, opened the door and looked in. After two boys which meant trains, boats and animals, along with primary colors, to see this wonderful of fairies, unicorns and butterflies in pale yellows, greens and white still astonished him. Sitting down on the window bench, Jason looked up at the stars and thought to himself that he was a very lucky man. And that he would do whatever to protect that.

Once back in Elizabeth and his room, he slipped into bed, then realizing he forgot to remove his sweats started to kick them off, only to be stopped when his wife ran her hands down his bare chest and said "Your daughter keeps waking me up, so you have to keep me occupied." 

She let out a little laugh when Jason tossed back the covers, kicked the sweats the rest of the way off and said "Let' see what we can find to do." 

Morning came early, or rather Johnny did as he looked at the box of pastries then ran the doorbell. Hearing footsteps, he didn't look up when the door opened and said "I am sorry, I know that I should have talked to you first but can we please, find some common ground, I am sorry for thinking that Matt broke your heart."

"Well, I wasn't thrilled he married my daughter, but it could have been worse." replied Mac humorously as he took in the man who he now knew was the reason Georgie had been in such a rotten mood. "As for talking, please, I went through that with poor Matt, but since you brought breakfast, how about we talk about that common ground, before I agree to let you marry my daughter."

Hearing a yelp, then something breaking, Mac looked at the man in front of him then said the angry brunette, "Well what was I supposed to think. I mean, he showed up with donuts, just like Matt and Patrick, he said almost the same." 

The woman glared at both men then hissed "I don't think either one of you are funny."

Walking up the steps, she slammed the door to her bedroom then opened it to slam it again. There were some more things tossed before she came back down the stairs with her purse and keys before glaring at them and said "I am going shopping and I DON'T WANT TO SEE EITHER OF YOU, AGAIN TODAY. Dad, there is tuna fish casserole in the fridge, Johnny, I don't know why you are here and I really, really am not in the mood for you today. I will see you Monday, at work, where Jason won't let me avoid you."

With that she left, then reopened the door and slammed it again. Mac just laughed, then said "Well, a two door slammer, that must mean you really pissed her off. So why don't you come into the kitchen and you can explain to me why my daughter seems to think you are I believe she said Lower than pond scum and that was an insult to pond scum."

"Uh sir." Johnny started to head out, not sure that this was a good idea. 

"No, you have two choices, you can talk to me here, in the privacy of my own kitchen or I can violate all my ethics and have one of my detectives bring you down to talk about say your past connections. Either way at some point I am going to ask you why the hell you haven't told my daughter your intentions."

"Shit."

Mac looked at the now pale Italian and said "My kitchen or my interrogation room."

Two months later, Emily, Elizabeth and Skye who was in town needing Jax's help were sitting at the Metrocourt when Carly and Sonny who were flirting with reconciling yet again were interrupted by his eldest son approaching his father and decking the man.

"That is for my mother." he said before looking at Carly with disgust. "As for you, well you stay the hell away from my family."

When Jason and Johnny got off the elevator, Dante looked at the man then said "I need a word with you."

While the blond went to talk to his wife, Dante and Johnny went out onto the balcony. "My mother is in the hospital, she had a miscarriage today."

"Wait- we haven't..." Johnny started to say not realizing that Georgie had come out looking for both of them.

"I know, my mother told me all about." the shorter man said with obvious disdain. "I was told to mind my own business, but seriously, you would get drunk, have sex with my mother and call out your dream girls names, what the hell kind of man."

"I uh, I didn't remember doing that." he said rubbing his face in embarrassment. "Look, is your mother okay?" 

"She will be, as long as that bastard Corinthos and his ex or whatever she is stays away." Dante sighed then said "Carly came to see her earlier, they got into a shouting match, that was what led to the miscarriage. I uh, have to go. Look, John when I worked for you, I mean, I know about well what is going on in your head. But seriously, you might want to think about telling her, because it really isn't fair to these women you keep uh, you know." 

Walking away, he said "Maybe you should find someone new, then try and move on. I know I have no business offering advice, but I had this girl and she would have been the one for me but for my job. Lulu and I work, it's not perfect, but perfection is way over rated." 

Georgie skipped finding out what John wanted when Skye called out to her. "I have a letter for you. I was just about to give it to Jason for you."

Squealing when she saw it was from Brooklynn she asked Skye how she ended up with it. "I needed to talk to her mother, Lois spent some time with Lorenzo, and I came across some stuff that she could answer the questions to."

Looking at Jason, she said "I will see you tomorrow, I am off to read this." she said showing him the very thick letter.

Meanwhile Carly who had been dumped by Sonny when he heard that she was the reason for Olivia losing his child, was vowing revenge on the woman and her kid. Olivia had no business sleeping with Sonny, not after Carly had warned her off. As for her son, well she had had it in for that little creep since Sonny had altered his will and put him in it.

Approaching Jax about spending time with Morgan and Jocelyn,she was told that it would have to be soon that they were heading on vacation for the month. "But-"

"Carly, we will be back in time for the fourth of July, like was agreed with Sonny through the courts." he snapped then added "Michael is joining us for the last two weeks and I have invited Kristina as well."

"What about Alexis and Molly?" she asked like she truly cared. Only to hear that the dark haired kid was sick. "Oh, well I guess that means Alexis dumps her kid on you, why can't Sonny take the girl?"

Holding his wife's hand as they left to go and see Kelly Lee, Jason watched Johnny looking around for Georgie and groaned. "We forgot, Johnny wanted..."

When the man came over, Jason said "Skye had a letter from a friend for her, she left."

"That's fine, I mean, she is at least talking to me again." he said with a weak smile as the married twosome left. His mind went back to the day he had a long discussion with Mac Scorpio that had ended with him sitting on a kitchen stool staring at the police commissioner like an idiot.

"No, sir, she doesn't like me." he protested "I would say she more than dislikes me."

Giving him a blow by blow account of the day before, he saw Mac's lips twitching and glared at the older man who just said "I can honestly say, that I think that is the biggest screw up I have ever heard. So, let me get this straight, in spite of the engagement announcement being in the newspaper, the wedding invitation, wait. I bet Georgie made sure you didn't get one. Okay, so maybe you aren't that dense; but I assure you, no, wait, you are that dense. Why would you think that Matt and she were dating, please explain again." 

Flushing Johnny told him about the night at Kelly's, about seeing them playing pool at Jake's. About the lunch dates then about the flowers. "Why didn't you ask her? Or Dante when he was guarding her while undercover?" 

"Because I didn't want to know the details, I just didn't want to hear about them being together." he replied then was told he was an idiot.

"You like my daughter, I am not sure I like that, but I am well aware that I have no say in their love lives. Johnny, I know that Georgie has feelings for you, I don't know that she knows it yet, but I do know that they are there."

"But-" John took out one of the scone things that Georgie liked and crumpled it up as he sat there "Sir, how do I get her to realize she has feelings for me, I can't deal with another year like this one."

"Try talking to her." said the man with a slight tone of irony in his voice before looking at the clock. "I have to go to work, and you need to be gone before Georgie returns. Right now, you have some major apologizing to do."

Johnny had done just that, it had taken patience and some time but Georgie had listened as he explained why he had thought she was dating Mac. As what he said sank it, she had even smiled at him then said "Thank you caring, even if you were totally wrong."

They were talking, he had slowly been working them towards going on a date. They had what she had described as hung out a few times, but no dates. He got the feeling that Mac was right, she did like him but was it possible to build that into some more, that was the question on his mind.

Calling her he said "I thought I owed you dessert."

A guilty expression crossed her face at forgetting about him but she just said "Sorry, I got a letter from a friend of mine and she is in some trouble. I was trying to find a way to help her. Rain check?"

"Can I help?" He asked.

"Not really up your alley." she said thinking on what Brooklynn needed help with. "I am driving up to where she is staying right now."

After saying goodbye, he hung up the phone then saw Dante lean down and kiss Lulu as they left the hotel; when her boss Kate pulled up in a limo he was amused to see the blond be dragged right back up to her office. "Dante, tell you mom that if she needs anything, my aunt Bobbie is a nurse at the hospital." she said as she followed Kate.

At GH, Elizabeth saw Kelly Lee coming down the hall and joked "Well this is service, my doctor comes to greet us at the door."

Kelly returned her smile with a weak one of her own then said "I wish, but I am running late."

At the desk, Kelly handed Epiphany the file on the DNC for Olivia Falconari, the blood tests for Sam McCall then returned Georgie Jones' telephone call. "Georgie, tell your friend I will be waiting at the hospital in the morning for her. Will you need me to do an ultrasound?"

Thinking on what Brooklynn wrote, she said "More than likely. I have no idea what she was thinking, I mean if nothing else, there are free clinics."

Entering her exam room, Kelly saw Elizabeth and Jason waiting and turned on the machine. Soon, she had the little girl inside of her mother doing somersaults and saw Jason seemed to relax as he watched his little girl turning over and over. "She is active today. How is she doing at night, still keeping you up?"

"She seems to like sleeping on my bladder." Elizabeth said "Cam did the same thing, but Jake, well he just wanted to play at night. I blame that one on his father since he is a night owl just like him."

"Hey." said Jason a bit surprised at that then he seemed to tense and freeze as he looked at the screen. "Dr. Lee what is that?"

Looking, Kelly gave a smile then said "Something we rarely see, your child is facing the scanner." 

Taking a picture then handing Elizabeth a tissue, just as the little one turned yet again. Kelly watched as Jason put his hand on Elizabeth's now clean belly then leaned down to kiss her on the lips and whispered something to his wife.

Holding two copies of the ultrasound, Elizabeth was showing her co-workers when Jason saw Alexis talking to a dark haired man he knew was bad news. Letting Elizabeth know he would be right back, he followed the leaving doctor.

Stopping the man he said "Do you know who I am?"

"Morgan, yeah, I know who you are, what do you want?" snapped the other man.

"What is your connection to Alexis Davis." When the man looked at him then started to walk away, Jason said "I would tell me before I blow your lucrative little side business up."

Looking around, Ian said "She wanted her daughter pregnant, I made sure it happened. She brought me the material, then seemed to change her mind. Then this spring she had me implant the embryos for a million dollars."

Letting him leave, Jason returned to where Elizabeth was talking to his sister as they looked at the baby girl's photo. "She is a ham already."

"No, she just felt her daddy." Elizabeth said with a smile at Jason. When he leaned down and kiss her, Emily pretended to throw up then said "I had a call from Laura Spencer. She was trying to reach you Elizabeth, but your grams and Bobbie refused to give her your number."

"What did she want?"

"Your help, if you can believe it. Luke of course disappeared again and there is this kid who showed up claiming to be his son. I swear that woman is delusional, she wanted you to talk to Lulu about it."

"I have barely seen Lulu, she blames me for John Zachara not dating her." said Elizabeth shaking her head in annoyance. "Besides, last I knew she was still blaming me for Lucky's death. Never mind that he was holding a gun on me."

"It's Laura Spencer, what do you expect. I seriously thing she should be dating Sonny." said Emily then groaned when she saw Carly coming off the elevator. "My guess is she is here to harass Olivia Falconari again."

Carly saw Jason and made a beeline to where he was standing. "Jason, I need to talk to you, its important. I need you to talk to Sonny for me, he wants me to move out and after the last time Momma said I can't stay with her and Jax is being a jerk about me staying at the hotel."

When he tried to deny her, she grabbed his arm then glared at Elizabeth. "Jason, I really need you."

"Carly, there is nothing for me to do. Why don't you move on, find someone new." with that he reached out and took Elizabeth's hand and said "Right now, my wife and I have to go and show the boys their new sister."

"Oh, you are having a girl, can you believe it Jax won't let me near Jocelyn. I can just see your little one, with blond hair and blue eyes, tall like you. Courtney always believed that the child she lost was a little girl. You two would have been the best parents. What a shame, that she died."

There were no words, thought Jason as Elizabeth just looked at Carly then when they had left said "She is unbelievable." 

Meanwhile Emily looked at Carly amused when the blond glared at the closing elevators. "Nice try, but it won't work, Carly. Jason and Elizabeth are happy and you won't be driving a wedge between them. As for Courtney, well it's funny because I once overheard her talking to Jax about her lost baby and she mentioned thinking it was a boy. Amazing how you change things to fit your fantasies."

Jason answered his cell phone then listened to what Georgie was saying. "Sure, is there anything I can do?"

"No, she doesn't want anyone to know. Dr. Lee is going to check her out at Mercy, but she is scared Jason. She is afraid, I don't know, I mean, I can't see Lois and Ned going this far but can you talk to him?"

Agreeing, Jason hung up the phone and said "That was Georgie. That letter from Brooklynn. She is in trouble and needed help."

Calling Johnny and finding out that their Australian contacts required one of them to head south, he agreed to handle the office so that the younger man could go. "I will be back hopefully in a couple of weeks."

Carly was soon out for revenge and tried to get Lulu to help. "Carly, I am hoping Olivia becomes my mother in law. Get over it, besides Sonny was the one who slept with Olivia, why aren't you pissed with him."

"Because Sonny was being Sonny." she said. When she kept pressing her cousin, she didn't know that Dante overheard her complaining about his being alive and how Olivia should have kept her legs closed.

Proud when his girlfriend defended his mother, he was thinking that he had made a good choice by dating Lulu when he froze as Carly went from cajoling to what sounded like threatening her with blackmail. "Lulu, how long do you think you would hold onto that boyfriend of yours if he were to learn your secrets."

"I don't have any secrets from Dante." she sniffed "At least none that matter."

"Really, so you told him about making a bet with Diego Alcazar regarding Georgie and your stepbrother at the time Dillon."

Dante had heard, Lulu had told him it was a childish mistake, that she deeply regretted but that she had had to move on from it. "Yes, I told him about it. Carly I am not stupid."

"But did you tell him everything?" she pressed. "Did you tell him about your CHOICE?" she archly added.

When Lulu turned pale, Dante who was listening didn't hear his girlfriend deny whatever it was that the blond was asking. The silence stretched then Lulu said "I can't believe you would do that, to me. I am family, Carly. You said you understood why I did what I did."

"That baby, Lulu. That baby was family too." was all Carly said "What is more important your family or a man who would dump you when he learns the truth about the baby you aborted?

Shell-shocked, Dante left the hotel, he had been about to visit his mother who had returned to work, needing to talk to someone. Seeing Lulu's co-worker, Maxie Jones he asked "Do you have a few minutes?"

When they were seated, Maxie almost gloated when she found out what was on his mind then said "I am not the person to be asking because I loath your girl friend. Dillon was married to my sister at the time, Georgie and he divorced and he was going to marry her when she made her choice. Dante, I am pro life, I think it is each woman's choice."

"Thank you, for being as honest as you can." he said then left to return to the station. Sitting there he read the file regarding Sam McCall and thought about it, then put it in the back of his drawer. Everyone really knew what that was about. No one was going to look at it too close but the hospital had been required to tell them about the situation. 

He kept hearing Carly's words and wanted to confront Lulu but at the same time, he kept hearing another woman telling him she was pregnant and his demand for proof that he was the father and being hung up on. He had made a mistake, been angry with her for his own sins, but yet he couldn't help wondering even now... 

But she had been gone when he had finally been free to find out the truth only to be told she had gotten married and left town. The news had hit him hard and he went back to what he knew, now he couldn't help thinking about her and that night. 

Tomorrow was a holiday and Georgie was tired, she hated keeping secrets, even worse she hated that she couldn't do more to help Brooklynn. She was safe, at least that was good news she thought to herself. When the beeper went off, Georgie interrupted Johnny who was telling Jason what had happened and how they needed to change suppliers. "Jason, I have to go."

She was holding up the beeper and he nodded, understanding that whatever was going on with Brooklynn was coming to a head. "Do you need help?"

Looking at the man offering, Georgie said "No, I am just going to be there for moral support. But thanks." she said with a wisp of a smile before driving to Mercy. Dr. Lee arrived just as she did and they hurried to where Brooklynn was panting.

"I am sorry, I waited too long." she said then screamed as a contraction hit. "Georgie, if this goes wrong, please. Take care of things, make sure that my little... OOOOOWWWWWW!"

An hour later, Brooklynn was still having contractions as Kelly Lee entered. "Brook, we have to do a C-Section." 

"I can't do this, not alone, please Georgie, don't leave me alone." she begged as the sweat poured off her forehead. When she had been given the drugs, Georgie went to the room and paced. Hearing footsteps, she saw Elizabeth, heavy as she was now in her eighth month. "Elizabeth, they just took her in, thank you for coming." 

"Georgie, I know that Diane filed the paperwork to place you in charge but you should consider telling at least Monica. I know that you have no love of Tracy either, but that is her granddaughter." 

"I promised Brooklynn. It was the only way I could get her to come home." she confessed then said "Oh, Elizabeth it is such a mess. She met this guy at one of her shows. She was drunk and doesn't remember who he was. All she has is a name, and I ran it for her. She has reason to be scared, Elizabeth." 

Sitting down with Elizabeth she said "The man, one of the possible fathers of her child, she was scared and didn't contact him then something happened. He seems to have disappeared. Elizabeth, he used to work, well he was a very dangerous man in Jason's old profession." 

"You said one of the possible fathers." asking about the other. 

"She was upset, called a friend of hers. They talked and she tried to tell him but instead they slept together. They had dated before but then she found out something that she said would blow his world apart so she left, when I gather the truth came out they had a fight about it then ended up giving into what she had always wanted. She found out he was seeing someone, that it was serious according to his mother. She has been running because some men showed up, asking questions about the first guy and she called the second needing help. He was horrible, she said. Then when she called back, a woman answered the phone." 

"Poor Brook. Okay, I can get being worried but what about talking to Jason?" she asked.

Georgie looked at Elizabeth and said "Brook was smart enough to include him in her promise to not tell her family."

With a thoughtful smile, Elizabeth said "Well you do know someone else who is quite good at protecting people and who knows the 'business' stuff."

Standing, Georgie reached down and hugged Elizabeth before going outside to use her cell phone. "Hey, Johnny I kind of need help with something, well not me. A friend of mine. Can you come to Mercy Hospital."

"Are you hurt?" he urgently asked even as he stood, grabbed his keys and left his meeting. He had only been back hours, but he would not refuse to help Georgie. Getting told no, he called Jasper Jacks from the garage as he went to drive over. "Jacks, Georgie needs me at the hospital, can we reschedule?"

The Australian agreed then told him to have Georgie call him. "I was hoping to speak to her today, Ned Ashton was looking for her." 

"Who is that?" he asked as he put in his blue tooth so he could drive and talk at the same time.

"Jason's cousin and the father of one of Georgie's friends. She went missing and he was hoping Georgie knew something." Jax had been surprised when Ned had asked him for his help, since getting involved with Carly they had barely talked and knew that Ned felt bad for the seperation.

Elizabeth talked to Kelly Lee after Georgie had gone to see Brook and her little girl. "How is she doing?"

"Scared, she is so young and so alone." replied the doctor. Hearing footsteps, they both turned as Johnny looked around confused then approached them. "Elizabeth, do you know what is going on?"

"I will leave it for Georgie to tell you, but I have to go and see Jason right now." she said then left the hospital.

"Please Jason, for my children. He is spending all this time with Olivia and you know that is wrong. I mean, she got pregnant on purpose, you know she did. She is trying to trap him." Carly had gotten past security and was bothering Jason as his office.

"Carly, you need a new spiel, Olivia isn't trying to trap Sonny." Jason knew she had more to fear from the woman going after Jax than Sonny. When Carly protested calling the woman a slut and a whore, he said "I don't want to hear it. Look, why are you even here. I have told you, repeatedly that we are done and yet, every single time I turn around, you are bothering me at my office. My place of business."

"It's not like I can come to your house. The guards won't let me in and I know that it's because that bitch you are married to is too insecure with our close bond. I don't get why you let her trap you with yet another kid." Carly whined, too angry to be cautious.

"Carly, my wife is not a bitch and you are not allowed at our house because only our friends are allowed and you are not a friend."

"Jason, I am your best friend." she replied, knowing that Elizabeth was keeping him from her.

"No, you are not. You are more like a leech that attached yourself to me and won't go away thanks to a promise I made to Michael. Well Carly, you are no longer a necessity to see Michael, he lives at his grandparents house and I can see him when I visit there."

"I knew Michael was the more important." Jason held up his hand to stop her rant and said "No, he isn't but he is a lot more pleasant now that he is no longer under Sonny and your supervision. Do you know where he is right now?"

"No, but I know that Jax stole your idea and took my children to Africa, I tried to tell him that was our trip, but he just ignored me." she mumbled.

"Carly, that was your dream, not mine. And Carly there is no way in hell I would ever take you to a foreign country, hell even Sam had more common sense than you when it came to that, though in her case it was her con artist instincts. You are the rudest, most belligerent person I have ever met in my life."

Hitting the button for security, Jason told the man who showed up to escort the blond out of the building then to fire whoever let her in. "Jason, you know you don't mean that."

Looking into Jason's angry blue eyes, Carly finally got it, they were done and she had nothing left to get him on her side. Hiding her anger and her fear, Carly was furious as her arm was grabbed and led out of his office. Seeing Elizabeth entering, pregnant yet again with Jason's child, she reached out to slap the annoying woman.

Her hand was grabbed from behind and Carly felt herself being spun to face Jason. "Carly, that was your very last mistake. Go away before I make you disappear. Think about it, you know I can do that."

Shaking as she reached the street, Carly looked around not wanting anyone to see that the guard had shoved her out the door. In her car, she just sat there, with a sick feeling in her stomach, one that wasn't going away. Like there was an impending sense of doom sitting on her chest.

Johnny sat down with Georgie when she returned from visiting first Brook then her friends child. "So, your friend needs to find out the truth. What about testing the guy from her old neighborhood?"

"I don't have his name. I remember when I visited her in Bensonhurst, there was one boy, he wasn't there, she kept saying she couldn't wait to introduce me to, but then my dad wasn't thrilled with my being there. I never met him. The other guy, I have a name at least." Georgie's skin looked very pale as she recalled all that she had read, then added "This hitter, he has a connection to your family's past. I know what I am asking is not really fair, but could you do some checking." 

"I need a name." he said with a smile that soon fell off when he asked her to repeat that then said the name back to her. "Wait, Dominic Perelli? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I ran the name, got a list of his priors. Poor Brook. She was already reeling when she slept with him about something else, otherwise she would have been smarter."

"If she was drunk, how do you know that." he asked softly.

"Brook's godfather is Sonny, Johnny. Her mom grew up with him." There was one subject the two avoided, Johnny because he felt like an idiot for sleeping with a woman old enough to be his mother and Georgie because she didn't want him to know she knew. 

"The mob." she finished lamely. "Do you know this guy?" 

"Yes, but Georgie, this doesn't make sense." he said then asked "Are you sure that is the right name?" 

"We found his credit card number at the hotel, then traced it back to his hotel and found some of her clothes in the room." she said blushing. "I had Spinelli track it and was up there within an hour. We conned the desk clerk and got into the room."

"Let me make a few calls." he said then went to a quiet spot and called Dante. "I need to talk to you, it's about your alter ego. And this isn't something you want to delay."

Calling Jason he asked him to come to the hotel with them, Johnny and he met with Dante and Mac who had tagged along. "Why am I here?"

"When was the last time you used the Perelli set up?" he asked bluntly.

"This year, I was looking into a possible connection to a drug supplier." he said "We traced it but the doctor disappeared last month. Why?"

"Where?" he asked.

"Why are you asking?" Mac interrupted to ask. "And what is the interest?"

"It's personal." Johnny said looking at Dante. "A better question would be who was the woman?"

"NONE of your damn business." he replied standing and glaring at the kid. "If you thought you are going to blackmail me." 

"Calm down." Mac watched as Jason got between the two men then looked at his partner and wondered why he was opening this can of worms. "What is going on?"

"I just need to confirm he was with someone, that is all." When Dante once again gave him the death glare, Johnny said "Who was she?"

"None of your damn business." he replied. Then looking at his boss who just stood, he went to leave when Johnny asked "Her first name, it wouldn't be Brook would it?"

The police officer turned and decked Johnny, sending him to the floor. "You, you stay away. I won't let you use her like you did my mother. Brook hasn't been harden..."

"Wait, are you talking Brooklynn Ashton?" asked Mac feeling like he was missing something." 

"Maybe." replied Johnny. "Jax mentioned earlier that his friend Ned's daughter was missing and that the man was hoping to talk to Georgie about it." 

"Why would Georgie know Brook?" asked Dante in shock. 

Jason took what Dante asked as confirmation to the questions being asked and said "Because Brooklynn is my cousin Ned's daughter, Georgie and she were friends. Last I heard Lois was keeping her away because of the fighting at the house while she was there as a kid." 

Dante closed his eyes. He had know that Brooklynn had a wealthy family someplace, they had once discussed a grandfather but it had been an off the cuff remark. He had never connected her to Port Charles. "Zachara why are you so interested because we both know you wouldn't be involved with a friend of Georgie's."

"I think I had better show you but before we leave first answer a few questions." he said then took the ice that Mac offered from the ice machine and wrapped in a cloth napkin before he placed it on his jaw.

"Yes, I saw Brook when I was in Syracuse using my Perelli ID, she almost blew my cover. We went back to my hotel and what happened next is none of your damn business. Mac, I filed a report on this incident but left out her name."

"The night you were slipped the drugs by Devlin?" he asked then sighed before standing. "Okay, from here out this is clearly personal and I don't want to have to lie to Ned, so I will head out. Jason, are you staying?"

"No, he isn't." replied Johnny. When his partner just left quietly, the Italian was grateful that they trusted one another. "Okay, tell me about Brook and you."

"We dated, remember when I told you about having the perfect woman then losing her. It was Brook I was talking about. Then I saw her, after I started dating Lulu. We talked and it got awkward. So I left. I ran into her on my assignment. One thing led to another and then a couple weeks later at home. We had the strangest argument then slept together. I came back to end things with Lulu but she said she might be pregnant. So I waited."

"How long?" Johnny asked.

"A month, then I heard my mother talking to Mrs. Cerello who was worried because she hadn't heard from Brooklynn and had found a gold wedding ring in her laundry. I went to her apartment near school and was told by her neighbor that Brook had moved. The woman was so happy for Brook, she kept going on and on about how she had gone home and got married and was having a baby." 

"Did you ever think it might be yours?" asked Johnny needing to figure this out so he could tell the other man what he knew.

"Yes, I went to New York, but when I returned to my grandparents house after trying to find out what was going on, Lulu had driven up there with my mother. Then my mother mentioned later on that she had heard Brook was living in a sixth floor walk up with some blond guy."

"Brook called a few weeks later, when she told me about the baby. I said something I shouldn't have. Then when I went to apologize she hung up on me."

Thinking on what Georgie had told him, Johnny said "Man, I hate to tell you this but you have spent the last nine months jealous of yourself." 

"What?" he asked confused. 

"Brook didn't remember that night. She woke up and panicked. She called Georgie who tracked back the credit card number. All they had was a name and a list of crimes and convictions, Dante." 

"Oh man. Fuck." said Dante as he recalled the supposed past of Dominic Perelli then the conversation with Brook. "She came to see me, we oh fuck, we couldn't seem to tell each other what was going on. In my case that I had stupidly been dating someone while working undercover because I was upset at losing her and she tried to tell me, I just didn't want to hear she had found someone." 

"Have you thought this through yet?" asked Johnny.

"Wait, the baby." Dante's eyes closed as he got what was going on. "The baby was mine. Mom said she heard she miscarried." 

"She didn't." he said then looking at the man announced. "She ran in fear after someone came looking for Perelli. The blond man, I don't know about but she has been on the run. Georgie convinced her to come here, to stop running. She is at Mercy and gave birth this afternoon."

When the man stood unsteadily, Johnny pushed him back into the chair. "You should deal with Lulu first. Then go talk to Brook with a fresh slate."

"No, I have to talk to her, see her. You don't understand." 

"About your relationship with Brook, no I don't. But I have seen this Lulu in action since I moved here and she has to be dealt with and putting it off won't help."

"I agree, I won't talk to Brook but I need to see her, to see she is okay."

"She isn't. They had to do a C-section." he replied bluntly. "Deal with Lulu."

Jason was listening to his wife who had come with him to the hotel. "I should call Ned." 

"Let them work this out. I think that it might all be resolved without creating more trouble. Then we can offer to help but right now, the only person she trusts is Georgie and we don't want to ruin that." she said distracting him with a kiss. 

Stopping to pick up their boys, Jason was carrying in the groceries when the phone rang. Elizabeth who was on her cell phone listened in amusement as Cam picked up the phone then said "Morgan."

The curly haired boy mimicked his father then said "Let me see."

Holding his hand over the phone, he walked to the window then opened the drapes frowned then said "No, sir Daddy can't see to find himself with Jake. Would you like to speak to my mommy."

Seeing Mommy was still on her phone, he said "Okay, I will tell mommy but I don't understand. If Missus Corinthos is sauced why don't you just use the water hose to wash her off or call her own Mommy to do it?"

Cam said "Goodbye." Hanging up he turned to his dad and said "That man said Missus Corinthos is sauced down at Jake's. Then asked if you could see your way down there sometime soon. I told him no that you couldn't see Jakes and to clean Missus Corinthos off with a hose."

His lips twitching, Jason gravely said thank you then watched as the little boy smiled then called to Jake that he was going to beat him to the playroom. Her lips twitching, Elizabeth said "Someone needs to hose Carly off."

"It won't be me. Not after the display she put on again today." he said shaking his head. "Maybe a night in a jail cell will wake her up."

Dante had seen Georgie sleeping by Brook's bed, then had gone to the nursery and saw the baby labeled baby girl Jones and went to deal with the woman he should have broke up with long before this moment. Calling and having her meet him at his place, Dante thanked Johnny for his help then hurried to his loft.

"Dante, I am glad you called. Things have been so tense between us and I really don't understand why." she replied.

Looking at the blond who had been a replacement for the woman he had loved and thought lost twice during this mess of a relationship and Dante felt bad for what he was about to do. "Sit down, please Lulu."

Doing so, she looked at him with a smile, certain from how nervous he was that she was about to get engaged. "Lulu, we have been together for a while."

She felt the smile grow when he sat down near her. "But before I came here, there was the woman. I was in love with her but thought that with my undercover work, she wouldn't be able to handle things. I never gave her a chance just ended things. I came here, we started dating and I tried to put her out of my mind."

"Tried?" she asked not sure she wanted to hear this. "But Dante we have been together for over a year and a half."

"Do you remember when you thought you were pregnant. Well with my history, I couldn't end things between us, just in case, but something had happened. I had decided I wanted to try with her. But that changed things, the possible baby." 

Lulu was getting ready to try and claim to be pregnant again, there was no way she was losing him and saying she was having his kid would certainly keep him. "Dante, there is something we need to talk..." 

"Let me finish, please?" he asked. "I went to her school, on assignment and we ran into one another then a few weeks later while I was back home we did so again. I returned here, then she called to talk to me. In between I had been told she had gotten married. And I didn't want to be the loser yet again, so I just let things go, kept dating you." 

Furious to be made to feel like a replacement, she was at least relieved to find out the other woman was married. 

"Then my mom was hospitalized. You were so helpful and I felt bad about not loving you as much as you love me." he said. "I came to visit you, wanting to make sure you knew I appreciated all you had done for me. I overheard you talking to Carly."

"She is my cousin, I know what she did was bad, Dante." she said not sure why but feeling certain that the ax was about to fall. They had been slowly drifting apart since Olivia had had a miscarriage.

"My problem isn't with what she did and I have no right to judge but at the same time, Lulu what you did might have been right for you, but I would be a hypocrite if I didn't admit if I had been the father. I would have never talked to you again."

The ax fell. "Dante, it was the right choice. I had no one on my side. I couldn't, just couldn't be a mother that soon."

"See, that is what I am talking about, Lulu. I get that it was your decision, but I don't agree with it. That is why I have to end things with you. I look at you and I see what you did. The same choice my mother had and she made a hard choice, one that cost her so much. Good bye Lulu."

Standing he showed her to the door, watching as she left unresisting until he was about to close the heavy door. "Dante, I get that you are hurt but I will be waiting when you want to talk about this."

"Lulu, there is nothing to talk about. That choice, I know exactly all the options you had, and then there is the girl I loved. She faced the same choice, thought horrible things about me. That I had moved on, and I can never make that up to her. That she did this all alone because I was too scared to live alone." 

"What do you mean?" she asked almost whispering as she watched the pain in his eyes. 

"I mean that I am a father. A little girl born this afternoon to the woman I have loved since she was a teenager. And she almost died but I would never have known because I was too afraid to take a chance and chase after her." 

"You, you cheated on me?" she asked stunned. "How could you?" 

"Lulu as the other woman in your very first relationship, you have no right to judge me. I am sorry for hurting you, but I hurt her worse. And that is the one that  
matters to me."

The blond left, drove home and threw herself onto her bed. Hearing footsteps, she turned and snorted when she saw her Aunt Bobbie leading a very obviously drunk Carly to her room. Needing to get away, she thought about what Dante said and drove to GH. 

Checking the nursery she didn't see this supposed child so she walked down the hallway and saw Alexis Davis talking to her daughter. Listening as the woman described her daughter as a hero for some reason, Lulu snorted in disbelief before heading to the roof. 

Sitting quietly, she looked out over the Port Charles skyline and wondered why her life sucked so bad. 

At Mercy, Georgie left Dante in the hospital room, stunned at what the man had confessed.

Johnny looked at her and asked "Are you ready to head home."

"Thanks, but I drove." she said yawning.

"I don't think you should be behind the wheel of a car." he said then directed her to the passenger seat of his car. Arriving at the Scorpio house, he saw she was fast asleep and reached out to brush his fingers against her soft skin.

"UMMMMM!" she murmured breathlessly as she pressed her lips against his hand.

"Georgie, time to wake up." he said then leaned over to gently shake her. Instead he was the one shook when she lifted said lips and kissed him. Closing his eyes and leaning his forehead on her shoulder, he said "Georgie, if you don't want me carrying you in and staying the night, you really need to wake up."

When she just leaned against him, he released the seat belt and moved to the other side of the car. Lifting her, he really hoped someone was home when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"You are killing me, you do know that don't you?" he asked humorously as he ran the doorbell. When Mac let him in, he directed him to the upstairs room where he then laid down the woman still not stirring. Covering her up, he stood then walked back to where the older man was waiting.

"I just got a call from Brook's parents, they are on their way. She woke up and called them. I don't know if she told them about the baby but I know that she did tell them about Georgie talking her into coming home."

Two weeks later Elizabeth was sitting in the window, their daughter keeping her awake as she kicked Mommy's insides. Feeling hands encircle her waist then lips kissing the nape of her neck, she leaned back into Jason's arms. "Where are you?"

"Thinking about the difference between this pregnancy and Jake's." she said. "Last time around, I spent so much time trying to convince everyone I was happy, trying to protect a man I didn't love anymore, well that I wasn't in love with. Worried about you, worried about Cam. With our daughter, I only worry about the normal every day things that I should be worrying about. Like does Abbots still have mint custard or does a dill pickle taste better cold or fresh from a jar." 

"I wish that we could go back and change things." he said when she rested against his body. 

"Part of it, me too. But I don't know that things would have worked out if I had told the truth then." she said. "We were both a mess, Jason. Emotionally we gave ourselves over to everyone but each other and we needed to see that being selfish can be a good thing, on occasion. 

Hearing footsteps, they heard Cam rushing in. "Mommy, is it baby time yet? Grandpa says she is going to come early." 

Picking up the little boy, Jason kissed him then said "No, mommy is just awake because your little sister won't let her sleep. She is a night owl." 

"An Owl?" asked Cam who as Jason explained fell quickly asleep. Carrying the little boy back to his room, he soon joined Elizabeth who was now in their bed. Seeing the work he had brought home with him, he said "I can't wait until Johnny gets back from New Zealand, I am sick of paperwork."

"Oh, my poor sweet baby, what can I do to make it better." she offered only to laugh when he picked up the file and handed it to her. "You are on your own with that."

"At the office too. Georgie is off helping planning Brook's wedding, Diane is doing whatever with Max and Bernie is at a cribbage tournament."

"You said that things were slow right now, that other than a new supplier you were planning on just keeping things running smoothly. Take a deep breath, relax, because Jason, in less than a month we are going to be parents to three children under the age of six."

That was why his staff was gone now, he had plans to surprise Elizabeth and the rest of their family with a trip to Italy after their daughter was born. Johnny had agreed to it and they were training Georgie to take over the non-security part of the business. Jason was still planning on running his part from Italy but they were going to take a step back, to keep from getting too big.

Jason thought about his fears, not even a month before then looked at Elizabeth who was drifting off to slept curled up next to him and thought to himself that he was a very lucky man. He had his world close to how he wanted it and even the minor annoyances like Carly and Sonny were being managed.

As he finally joined his wife in dreamland, Jason reminded himself that he had two more wishes to come true and hopefully by New Years Eve this year, his last remaining fears would be gone. Sonny's restaurant was in trouble and Carly, well Carly was drinking way too much. Both kept expecting him to rush in and save the day but like he had told Jax, they were adults and could take care of themselves.

He had no idea that Dr. Ian Devlin before he left town had given Sam more than just the embryos he had implanted. He had wanted to test a drug on behalf of his boss, and with the comatose brunette he had the perfect test subject as the injuries were similar.

He also had no idea that his ex-wife, the one who still had a room in his old penthouse was in trouble, deep trouble, nor that Trevor Lansing had left a time bomb one that would explode now that he had been gone for so long. Things were converging and there was a good chance it would happen in Port Charles. 

If Jason knew, he would have been scared, instead he slept that night his arms around his wife, already planning his family's Christmas with their little girl. But then he had no idea that what someone was about to do would change Port Charles forever.


	7. Chapter 7

The man watched from the shadows as Brenda Barrett ran. When she was on the jet to the states, he made a call. "Find out where Miss Barrett is staying in Port Charles and then take care of them."

"Yes sir." replied the voice on the other end before hanging up. Looking around the hospital, the person in the scrubs tried to figure out where Brenda would go. The Quartermaines where she had stayed as a teenager, one of the exes. Both were free at the moment or maybe the man she had married but didn't love. Would Brenda flee to her protector, Jason Morgan.

At the end of shift, changing clothes and heading out, they tried to prepare for the arrival of Brenda, but at the same time... they couldn't help wondering about the beautiful woman who had left town under a cloud all those years ago.

_In Sam's dream, she was agreeing to switch places to protect the helpless model, while inwardly sneering as Jason yet again put a helpless woman before her. She didn't know how Brenda had done it but she had all the men wanting to protect her and all the women in a tizzy about her returning._

_Seeing yet another woman knocking on the door, visiting with Brenda, she couldn't help thinking that Robin who should be jealous of the beautiful model didn't seem to be and when the doctor mentioned her friend Elizabeth, she was furious when Brenda mentioned recalling how sweet Elizabeth was._

_But later, when Brenda asked about Jason and her having kids, Sam smirked and almost told her the truth but instead just repeated what she had trained herself to say. That she couldn't have children and what had caused that to happen._

Devlin showed up for his meeting. "Sir, as you can see the drugs show-" The man hit the floor, blood flowing from his ear. Kicking the man, turning he looked at his second in command and said "Take care of the body. He did what he was supposed to. Then get someone close to check on Ms. McCall. I want to know the minute she gives birth then deal with her."

Reading the paperwork, he made a call and said "Make the offer and then get the woman to over extend herself, but on a personal level. I want her to be leveraged out." 

Jason woke up, looking at the calendar then at his still sleeping wife. "Elizabeth?"

When she looked up with only one eye opened, Jason laughed and said quickly. "This is it."

"Jason, its a baby not a pizza. She will come when she wants to come." With that she rolled into his side and was soon back asleep. The man sat there, pouting a bit as his wife didn't seem as excited as he was. According to Kelly Lee, today was the day their daughter would be born.

Sticking close, he called Audrey and prepared her to get Cam at a moments notice, ignoring how she pointed out it was only six o'clock in the morning, then he called his partner who threatened to remove body parts. "I was on the phone with Japan until four this morning."

"Let Georgie handle the office then." said Jason before frowning when he was hung up on. Deciding to call his assistant, he was worried when she didn't answer the phone. Leaving voice mails, he was starting to grow concerned after the fourth one in an hour garnered no return call.

"Jason, you have to go to work." said Elizabeth at ten AM when she had had more than enough of Jason following her around, his eyes never leaving her belly. Taking her phone, she called Georgie who said "I know, I have been on the phone with him every single time I turn around."

At four PM , Monica was called and after laughing at her son for almost fifteen minutes, announced that babies have their own schedules and for him to just relax. At nine, Elizabeth was seriously contemplating a divorce when Jason now had Cam and Jake sitting with him on the sofa watching her stomach.

Muttering that he could take the boys, too. She went to bed, more than a little tired from the tension her husband was creating. The next day, woken up again at Six, Elizabeth threatened to move into GH, only to find her husband had gotten her bag and was already loading the boys.

Kelly Lee gave a huge sigh, she couldn't ignore the call, Elizabeth might actually be in labor, but after the man had rejected her suggestions to bring labor on, she really didn't now what to do for him.

Jason looked at his watch, then at the timer he had on it. It was now seventy nine hours past Elizabeth's due date and he was getting worried. Looking at his wife who was serenely reading to the boys, he stood and went to the kitchen and called Kelly.

Hearing Elizabeth call out to him, he just sighed, knowing she was going to tell him to leave it alone but instead he heard the sound of small running feet then Cam looked at him and said "Daddy, Mommy said it is time."

Kelly heard the little boy through the phone, and waited patiently then heard Jason asked "Time for what Cam?"

Cam looked at his daddy and said "Daddy, Mommy said our little girl is being born."

Jason looked at the cell in his hands, hung up and called GH only to realize he had been on the phone with Dr. Lee. "Epiphany, we are coming in."

"That fine, Mr. Morgan. We will be waiting." said the nurse then looked at the doctor who was mimicking giving labor as she talked to Lainey Winters and said "Dr. Lee get a hold of yourself. Mrs. Morgan is on her way in."

Alexis who was walking past, gave a sigh, she wished Jason and Elizabeth well but for now, she had to concentrate on Molly and Sam.

As the clans of Quartermaine, Hardy and Morgan all arrived at GH, Elizabeth was in the room squeezing Jason's hand. "Elizabeth, I need to check on things." said Kelly as she looked under the sheet and said "Things are looking good but it might be a while."

Two more quick visits and then Kelly said "Okay, now it is time to push."

Jason felt the need to pass out as Elizabeth yelled in pain while gripping tightly onto his hand. Getting control, Jason looked over at his wife who had just given birth, he had held his young daughter and had handed her off to her mother. "I love you."

"I love you too." she said then kissed their tiny, dark haired daughter then him. Their eyes met and Jason gave a self effacing smile as he recalled all they had been going through over the last few day. Elizabeth just giggled then said "You have to tell the boys, then everyone else."

Leaving, Jason quietly slipped down to the daycare and told his sons that they had a little sister. Cam was excited where as Jake didn't know what the big deal was. In the waiting room, Jason looked around and then seeing his sister, told her the news and said "Will you explain to everyone else, I want to get back to Elizabeth and our daughter."

"Jason, you forgot something." she said after a great big bear hug. "The name?"

"Adrianna, Adrianna Catherine Morgan." Seeing her moving towards the rest he looked for his partner and gave him the news. "Six weeks."

"We will be fine. Georgie should be up to full speed by then and I can handle the local stuff." When the man had returned down the hallway, he located the younger woman asleep on the blond male who had created such a stir for Dante and Brooklynn.

Lulu had tried to cause trouble, pointing out that they had once dated, until Lucas himself had introduce his partner to the police officer. Then explained why Brooklynn had come to him for help. Then apologized for his cousin. "Sorry, but Spencers by blood, have a selfish gene a mile wide. Even my mom on occasion."

Moving in, Johnny woke up Georgie then gave her the news and after she yawned he offered to drive her home. "That is fine, Lucas is staying with us, for the wedding this weekend." 

Nodding, he asked if she was coming to the office in the morning. "Yes, we have some work to do then I am slipping out to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Brooklynn is worried about her mother and Dante's."

When she left, Johnny knew that at some point, if they were going to even move on to the next level he was going to have to explain about his past with Olivia and knew that it didn't paint him in a very good light. 

Edward and Monica were leaving GH when they saw Carly sneaking in. Calling up to warn Jason, they watched as the blond bobbed and weaved as she went to cause trouble. 

"Should we stay?" asked Edward only to be told no that Jason had been waiting for this moment. 

Inside, Jason thought about the call and when Carly entered he looked at the drunk woman and said "You need to leave." 

"I came to see your latest bas-baby with the woman who stole you away from me." she replied while looking at him owlishly. "So, where is this child. I want to see it." 

"My child, is none of your business." he said coldly then called security. When they were escorting her away, Jason said "Carly, I know you are in trouble, I know that you are spending more than you are making. Soon, you are going to have nothing and I won't lift a finger to help you."

"Right, that is why you are keeping an eye on me." she snorted in disbelief. "Jason, when I hit rock bottom, I know you will be there, you are just trying to teach me a lesson."

Lulu watched from the back of St. Francis church bitterly angry as Dante married Brooklynn Ashton. She saw Sonny pat his son on the back, as well as his son shrug it off. She saw Lois talking to her old friend, she saw others equally as happy. Except one. Olivia Falconari looked like she swallowed a bug as she wished the happy couple well then left the church.

Smugly sure that the older woman was on her side, she told Milo who had a gun on her that she wanted to leave. He silently took her to the door and said "Don't come back."

Hurrying to Olivia's place, she rapped quickly on the door, no answer. Deciding to see if she was at work, Lulu went to the hotel. And eavesdropped as Olivia was clearly talking to someone. "I can't believe it. You promised, you promised she wouldn't get to my son."

The voice from the phone just chuckled while the woman steamed. "Damn it, I won't let this happen."

"Interfere and I will make sure your little boy knows all about your lies, Olivia. That you knew about Brooklynn, that you lied to the girl. That you planned to keep them apart."

"You, you knew her connection to Port Charles, didn't you?" she shouted. "You bastard, how could you?" 

"I don't understand, one thing. Why was this Spencer girl more acceptable?" asked the voice. 

"I had something on her, I knew she had an abortion and I know how Dante feels about that." she replied. "I was getting ready to get rid of her as soon as summer was over." 

"AWWWW, poor selfish mommy." said the voice. "Don't think for a minute, this changes things. You are going to do exactly what I tell you, or you will be spending your golden years alone. No mama's boy to prop you up." 

The man on the other end up hung up the phone then gave a soft chuckle. Amazing what some people would do for their family's. Calling his contact in Port Charles, he checked on the patient and gave his approval to their own plan. "Just be careful, we don't want the patient to wake up too soon."

Sending in his other pawn, the man looked at the photo of Sonny Corinthos and Alexis Davis before heading back to his home. The woman he wanted scared, the man, well he was going to get a taste of the dream then have it ripped away like Sonny had once done to him.

Six weeks to the day and two weeks after Adrianna was baptisted, Jason and Elizabeth left Port Charles for Italy. They had planned for this time away, with tutors for new student Cam and had hired yet another of the Juarez siblings to help with Jake and the new baby. Johnny and Georgie if they didn't give in to their attraction or kill one another would handle most of the business there, with Jason dealing with their European partners.

As the family bonded with their newest member, Jason still was worried, something had him concerned about Port Charles, maybe it was that Devlin had died, maybe that someone had clearly been herding poor scared Brooklynn home.

In Rome for the first week in October, Elizabeth opened the newspaper and gasped. "Jason!"

Looking up from where he was feeding their daughter, he said "What is it?"

"Brenda, someone tried to attack Brenda Barrett, here in Rome. Her fiancee that actor Murphy Sinclair was hurt rather badly." she said then when he had finished burping Adri, she handed him the paper. "Jason, she is in the hospital, here. We have to check on her, not just for us, for Robin as well. She would have wanted us to."

Calling the two guards outside on the doors, Jason said "We will be heading out for a a couple of hours, no one, other than us are to be allowed inside."

"Yes sir." the guard said then stopped his boss. "Sir, a man by the name of Maximus Giambetti, rumor is he is looking to talk to you, but under the radar if you know what I mean."

"Jason, you go see what Max's dad wants, I will check on Brenda." she suggested only for him to say he would go with her, then check in with the man. Arriving at the American Hospital, Elizabeth quickly asked for Brenda Barrett only to be told she was unavailable.

Frustrated, Jason called Jasper Jacks who looked at Carly playing with Morgan and Jocelyn then said "I will make a few calls, but right now, I have company that might object."

"It's important Jax." Jason stated then waited for the blond to call him back. "Okay, its taken care of."

On the floor where Brenda was staying, they saw two large burly men in front of her door. Telling one of them their names, they were let in to see the woman with her face to the wall and crying. "Brenda?"

Groaning then wiping her tears, she turned and saw Jason Morgan and couldn't resist "How is my favorite husband?"

"Someone else's husband." announced Elizabeth with a not so friendly smile. "How are you feeling Brenda?"

"I know you." she said her eyes narrow. "Spencer, you are connected to the Spencers somehow." 

"I was, it was a very large mistake." announced Elizabeth. "We saw the article in the paper and came to find out how you were."

"From Port Charles?" she asked doubtfully looking at the couple standing near her bed. "Jason wouldn't come across the street let alone the ocean to check on me."

"We are in Rome with our children." the nurse announced. "I was friends with Robin, and well I knew she would have been worried."

The brunette frowned slightly as she thought about her late friend. "She would have been kicking my rear. Someone is trying to kill me, Jason. I thought I was wrong, at first but now, now poor Murphy is paying the price for my ignoring what is going on."

"I will be right back." said Elizabeth as she went in the hallway to call and check on the children. Leaving Jason to get out of Brenda what was going on.

Brenda explained about the odd coincidences, the near misses and the car accident that didn't seem like an accident. "Its like I am being well stalked. It's was more harassment until this time. When the rock exploded, the shards hitting my fiancee, I just didn't want to face it. Then Suzanne, my manager insisted on bodyguards, I just don't feel so safe."

Jason looked at her and said "Your aren't safe. The men outside were given are names, didn't call to verify, this room is so easy to get into and that you are a patient here has already hit the newspapers. You need to be someplace safe, I can arrange it, but Brenda, you are going to have to listen to me. I can't, I won't let you not listen to me because if it is a choice between saving you and my family, I will walk away, do we understand each other." 

Swallowing her pride, she agreed to go where he wanted until he announced she was going to Port Charles. "No! I can't." 

"See, this is what I am talking about. The very first thing I tell you, you reject. Fine, I am out of here." Jason would gladly help but not if it put his family in danger.

Brenda saw Jason leaving, then closed her eyes and said "Do we have to tell anyone that I am there."

"Define anyone?" he asked wanting to know exactly what she was thinking.

"Sonny or Jax." she said. "I know that you are partners." 

"We aren't. Actually." he stated. When her eyes widened, he said "He screwed up one too many times and almost endangered my family in the process. I haven't talked to him in quite a while, where as Jax and I are partners in a small venture."

"Jax? Blond man with tousled curls and very beautiful eyes with a great smile." she asked in disbelief.

"That would be the one. To be honest, mainly Johnny, my partner and Georgie deal with him, but I see him at contact time." Jason was a bit thrown at the tone of the words, clearly there were some unresolved feelings between the model and the Australian.

"O'BRIEN?" she shouted only to see him shaking his head no. "Wait, not O'Brien?"

"No, this Johnny is the son of of the late Anthony Zachara." he announced. "He is going to be the one taking care of your security detail unless you want to be dealing with Carly."

Shuddering at thought, she asked "You haven't cut that harpy loose, your wife must love that."

"Carly is out of my life, but she refuses to accept it and you being back in it, won't go over well with her."

Brenda arrived in Port Charles and was soon staying at John Zachara's house. Looking around, she said "This really doesn't seem to suit you."

"It's my fathers, he was paranoid so I thought this was the safest place for you." he replied then said "I have assigned two men as guards, Jason is doing some quiet checking in Italy?" 

Shrugging helplessly, she told him all she had been up to since leaving in 2003. "I stayed busy, then when Robin died, some part of me just needed to do something, something that she would consider a good deed, for a lack of a better way to explain it."

"Now, Jason said you need to be seen, are you up to that, and who do you want to see."

"I guess, I should visit with the Quartermaines, maybe stop to see Mac and Robin's cousins. Other than that, I have no idea." she replied. "Did Jason tell you to help keep me away from Jax?"

"I didn't get that one, I would have thought you would be more worried about Sonny." he said with a furrowed brow. "I heard you two were the love of each other's lives."

"No, well, I don't know about him. But no, he wasn't of mine. It was more, unfinished business, then I moved on to Jax and that was blown out of the sky. Now, still years later, he is still the one my heart beats faster because of."

Brenda had known that the minute Jax hadn't shown up at their wedding. She went to see a doctor when she had returned to Europe, to get her head on straight. When she had figured out she had kissed Sonny to ruin things with Jax before she was happy had been quite a shock for the woman.

"JOHNNY!" they both heard the loud voice then saw the frustrated brunette entering with a cell phone open. Stopping when she saw the brunette from the back, she said Oh, uh, sorry, I didn't know you were entertaining anyone."

Grabbing her arm as she started to leave, he said "Wait, I thought you knew Brenda?"

"Brenda?" she asked then looked at the woman standing there. "Wow, hey, Brenda. Maxie will be excited to see you. Wait, are you the person?" she groaned then said "Damn, I just can't wait for Carly to hear about this one." 

In Italy it was morning before, Jason made some contacts then went to visit Maximus Giambetti. "I know you are aware who Brenda Barrett is, do you have any idea why someone would hurt her?"

The big Italian looked at the blond and said "A better question to be asked would be, who would be hurt by hurting her. Your ex-partner has been asking questions, the man he sent wasn't that discreet he drew the attention of someone who has a grudge with Mr. Corinthos."

"So they went after Brenda, damn, I sent her to Port Charles." he said then calling Johnny to give him a warning. Leaving a voice mail, he checked his own message. Crap, calling again he said "If you are right, we are going to remain in Italy like planned."

At the villa, Jason found Elizabeth painting while the children all played on the grass under a tree. "Now this is a picture."

Being careful to keep the paint away from him, Elizabeth kissed Jason then said "Did you get things squared away?"

"For now." he said his voice thickening as he realized he could see Elizabeth's legs outlined from where the sun was shining on her. "What do you say to having the children taking a nap?"

With a smile she leaned up and kissed him again before saying "You try and get Cam to take a nap and he will fight it. Just let nature take care of things."

Deciding to help nature, Jason lifted the umbrella shading Adri, gave their little girl a kiss then went to chase the boys around in the huge yard. When the yawning started, he soon had them all inside with very little maneuvering.

Jason left the boys and Adri tucked in the small cots in the playroom then hearing the shower went to join his wife. "Would you like me to wash your back?"

There was some soft laughter then a wet arm pulled him into the large shower, still dressed. 

Alexis was nervous, Sam was now past the danger point, from here on out, the stem cells were viable, now it was time to make sure her child would be born healthy. Seeing Dr. Niles giving Sam a shot, she asked slightly suspiciously "What was that?"

"A pre-natal vitamin. Dr Lee authorized it. I just saw that it hadn't been administered this month." she said with a soft smile. "Relax, Ms Davis, we all understand how important this situation is."

In the hallway, Lisa text the message then went back to her own work. Seeing Patrick Drake, she tried to get his attention but it was like the man she had known was gone. Seeing Steven Webber coming down the hall, she saw him getting ready to talk to Alexis Davis and distracted him for five minutes, knowing that by now the needle mark would have shrunk to the size for the vitamins the woman was supposed to have gotten.

Early the next morning, Dr. Niles was found on the roof the hospital, threatening to jump and disoriented. Soon a patient at Shadybrook, she was visited by a shadow. "You did your job well but I warned you away from Dr. Drake. You broke my trust."

Carly was having a bad day. First a big society wedding had gone with their rival, having told Jax that they wouldn't deal with her, then Monica Quartermaine had stopped in to see her. "Carly, I just wanted to let you know, Michael is in LA with Ned. But he is planning on coming home for Thanksgiving. Since he is spending the day with us, he is going to Sonny's for dessert." 

"Thank you for letting me know about MY son." she snapped. "Is that all?" 

Looking at the blond, Monica sat down across from the blond. "No, it was just an excuse. Carly, have you talked to your mother lately?" 

"We live in the same house, Monica. Remember, thanks to your father-in-law, my house was claimed by eminent domain for that new park." she snapped. "Besides, my family is none of your business." 

Feeling a bit sad, Monica stood and wished medical ethics didn't require her to keep Bobbie's secrets. The woman had had a slight stroke, and was refusing to tell her daughter or Lulu. Since these two young women were the biggest reasons her blood pressure was so high, Monica was trying to find a way to help. 

Once Monica had left, Carly was upset when two more high profile events called and canceled. Then Marty came to her office. "There is a man at the front desk, demanding to see you." 

Out front, Carly stalked to the counter, looked at the man and said "Yes. You wanted to see me?" 

"I am Ronan O'Rielly, Ms Corinthos and we need to talk." he said then pushed forward to hand her a piece of paper. Carly read what it said then turned white just as he said "In private." 

"Follow me." she said then w hen they were in her office said "Jason, Jason really sent you to me. How is he, has he dumped that insipid little bitch? Where is he?" 

"I am to bring you to him. But we can't tell anyone." he said. "Can you be ready in the morning. Mr Morgan also thinks that the man holding him has people close to your ex-husband. For Mr. Morgan's safety you can't warn him."

Nodding, Carly said "I can be ready tonight, would that be better."

"No, make it look like you have to go out of town. Tell the man out front that my boss, a reclusive billionaire is coming to town and wants to discuss a suite and a large gathering."

At her apartment, Olivia frowned when her son didn't answer his phone. He had been rather upset with her the previous day for stopping over to visit him at his new house. That had to be the result of HER, Dante had always been there for his mother.

Thinking on work and how Jax had been distracted all day, she frowned when the DA stopped in to visit her. "May I help you?"

"I was curious about your past with Sonny Corinthos." she said sitting down across from the dark haired woman. "We uh, slept together last month and I might be pregnant. I don't want to tell him but at the same time secrets have a way of coming out." 

Olivia felt her lips thin as she looked at the red head. "I can't give you any advice except you should know that he is slowly losing it." 

With a heavy sigh the woman stood then said "I know and that is what worries me. We met when he came to see me about the charges regarding Claudia Zachara's murder last year. Tried to pin it on the woman's brother even after the proof that Mr. Franco was the killer. He was charming in an oily sort of way." 

"I just, I guess I was thinking you might be a good person to talk to since Dante is such a sweet young honest man. I saw him with his wife and child today. He clearly loves her very much. It wonderful to see young love."

Walking to the door after grabbing her keys, Olivia went to remind her son that she had given birth to him. At the new house, she knocked on the door and was let in by Brook. "So, I see you are yet again keeping my son away from me. I called you earlier, told you that I wanted him to visit and then I hear you were at the park. There is no way Brook, I am not letting you get between my son and me."

Looking at the woman who had caused her so much grief, Brook said quietly "Olivia, we pieced it together, or rather Georgie did. She made a few calls. I know that you were aware that Lucas was just my friend, that you knew my baby was Dante's. I just don't get why."

"Because you are nothing. You should not be with my son, that baby shouldn't exist. I, me, I am the only person who loves Dante. You, you are nothing. The spoiled brat of that bitch Lois Cerello. From the moment I held Dante, I knew, I knew he was the one person who would never leave me, the one man who would love me always, the one man who would always put me first." 

Dante had been coming down the stairs, looking at his wife with sorrow. He had not been happy to read what Georgie had found, even less when Lulu had come to him, saying his mother was a liar. He hadn't believed the blond, certain she was playing games instead it turns our she was telling the truth. 

"Mom, we need to talk." he said then saw Brook's regret about his learning the truth. Kissing his wife, he said "This is going to be ugly, I will take her home."

Once at the apartment, Dante listened as his mother demanded he have a DNA test run, then told him that Brook was a liar who couldn't be trusted and then told him how a boys' momma was the only one who would never betray him.

"Mom, I am done. I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but over the last few months, I have seen you, seen how you treated Brook, your grandchild." 

"That brat isn't my grandchild. What is it going to take for you to believe me?" she cried out. "She is a tramp who lied to you. She is just like her mother, keeping you from me." 

As Olivia continued talking, Dante froze when she called him Sonny, then blamed his Aunt Connie, then Lois and finally every single woman that the man had ever been with for his not loving her. "Mom, I think you need some time away."

Calling Jax, Dante asked if he could stop over. After explaining, he saw Jax's expression and said "What is it?"

"Know something all those woman have in common. They have all either ended up in Shadybrook or it's ilk, died or destroyed their careers for the man. I will help you make the arrangements."

When Olivia was taken out of her apartment in a white straight jackets, she was screaming for her son to help her while Mac supervised. Dante stood there in shock while Brook just held his hand not believing what was going on.

Mac was leaving when Jax stopped him. "Mac, can you trace a phone call from Carly's office for me. She had a meeting with some potential guest and we haven't heard from her in almost a week."

"I just need your permission. Come down to the station." he said. Doing so checking they were frowning when the blond left his office. "Marty, would you please tell the commissioner what you told me."

After getting the tape, Mac ran it through the new software, not expecting much until it dinged. Calling Sonny, Jacks and Bobbie to meet him at his office, Mac then called the FBI. "Thank you Agent Raynor."

When the three had joined him, Mac called Johnny and had them contact Jason. "The man in this picture with Carly, he isn't some assistant for whoever Carly thinks. His name is Ronan O'Rielly."

"Mac, who is that?"

"A hired gun. I called around, Agent Raynor said that they had tracked down a request that went out for a hitter a few months ago. They thought it was in regards to Brenda Barrett because of the description."

There was also that it had originated in Port Charles to begin with, but Mac wasn't about to share that with this crew. "Now it looked like it was regarding Carly."

Bobbie was in shock while Jason asked "What was the description, Mac. You know that Brenda was attacked in Rome and that we have her hidden for safety."

"Just that she was involved with both Jax and Sonny. Also that she had an interest in tracking down a man who grabbed some child. They thought it was Brenda because of her involvement with that group in Rome." he said with a sigh, then looking at Bobbie said "Raynor did some back tracking Morgan, when I called him." 

"What is it?" asked Jason, he could hear the tight tone of Mac's voice.

"There was some chatter a few months ago. Regarding grabbing an infant. That a woman would pay a huge amount for the baby to disappear. And if the mother didn't make it a bonus." They all heard Jason swearing as Bobbie tried to deny that Carly would harm Elizabeth. 

"MORGAN!" shouted Mac trying to get the blond's attention. "No one, apparently was willing to take the contract. The agency considered putting someone investigate. They sent a man undercover and he saw no one suspicious. Except the description was a blond woman nearby who knew the cop."

"What?" asked most of the room while Mac swore fluently.

"Dante, I was asked to send Dante in. He went to the meeting in Montreal." Jax recalled Carly visiting their hotel in Montreal and coming back in a bad mood, about the time Elizabeth gave birth. "Said no one showed up, but that Carly might have blown his cover when she greeted him in the lobby of the hotel, and no, it wasn't hers."

Sonny left, not wanting to be in the middle of this mess. He had been making plans and if Carly's ill thought out scheme had ruined things he was glad she was out of the way. Then his mind flickered to this hired killer, he knew the name but to hear that Carly had been gotten so easily racketed up his paranoia as he went to the restaurant office to make a few calls.

Jason was telling Elizabeth what Mac suspected Carly to have done. "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" asked Jason as he paced back and forth. The boys were asleep and Adrianna was curled up in her sleeper cot so he tried to keep things as quiet as possible.

"Just this, Carly doesn't plan long term but even she couldn't think grabbing our child would give her any leverage. Then there is this. Carly's plans never work, we know that so how is it that this one stayed under the radar."

Calling Milo and Max's father, Jason listened to what was said and asked "Are you sure?"

"Like I said with the Barrett woman, who is hurt by them being hurt." 

Jason thought back to what Johnny had told him then called his partner. "Olivia is locked up right? Then we have Carly, now missing presumed dead. Brenda in danger, what else has been going on?"

"What about Alexis Davis?" he asked.

"Nothing, she has been dealing with her daughter being sick and of course Sam." he said then when Georgie entered waving something he covered the phone and said "What?"

"Jason, I was having Spinelli do some research." Hearing his groan, the woman laughed then said "Cody is on it. Now that we have what I was looking for, I told him to cut him loose with payment. Cody took him straight to the airport and he was on a plane for Tennessee." 

"What did he find?" asked Jason. They had cut Spinelli loose after he had almost cost them their legitimate business after he had been working for them and tapped illegally into a few government computers for Carly aka the Valkyrie. 

"Nothing." she said quietly. "At first, then when he dug deeper, we found Carly. She is dead. A car accident in the Catskills was the original call, but they didn't have a body, then they found one. I was a bit surprised because I knew the place near where they found her. It was near the spot that Trevor had me grabbed to use as leverage against Johnny for some reason."

Jason made another connection. "The hospital where Sam was born, its not far from there, also the Cassadines have a cottage there. When they grabbed Jake in 08, we found out from one of the kidnappers."

Leaving Georgie in charge of a hidden Brenda, Johnny drove south. Early the next morning, after talking to the coroner, he called Mac Scorpio and gave him the news. "We found Carly. You might not want her mother to see her, though."

Sending the autopsy report, the medical examiner said "Were you friends with the victim?"

"No, my partner knew her years ago." he said then shuddered as he read the copy of the report. Carly had bled out after her mouth had been sown shut with dental floss. "What does this mean?"

The man in the lab coat, read and then said "It's strange, we found that it looked like her hands were cramping from something when she died."

Tracking back to the Cassadine cabin, Johnny felt sick when he saw the piles upon piles of paper. "I will learn to keep my mouth shut."

Going through, he saw the rest then heard footsteps. Mac entered along with the two agents. "I told you to wait for us."

"I just got here." he said then showed them the papers he had found. "An estimate but each lined sheet has 29 lines on each side and then each pile has about a hundred pieces of paper. This man had her write this about 5800 times each packet. Then they change."

Raynor looked at the papers then said "What does it all mean?"

"Whoever hired this man, knew Carly." said Mac. "This one is about being pushy, about how she dressed, about her kids. About her jealousy. Wow, read this one."

"She slept with her mother's husband?" asked the agent. Mac absentmindedly said "Yeah, years ago."

Johnny heard the shouts then the men went in back. Following, he said "Well that explains the smell."

Ronan O'Rielly, hit man was now dead, his own blood filling the huge bathtub. "What on earth is going on?"

"Sir, the papers were numbered. Commissioner, do you know what this means?" Mac read them in order then said "This is pretty much the story of her life. I know about all of these or can at least place them with events, except this one is out of order." 

"The hit and run?" asked Johnny then looked at the date. "Wait, this is about driving the roads after spying on someone. Maybe Jason and Elizabeth, the accident where they were cut off and Jason was hurt. Remember, Sonny and she blamed Elizabeth. It was the end of the Morgan Corinthos partnership."

Mac moved to the next pile then swore before watching the Italian calling his partner. An hour later, Max Giambetti's was eating with his boss in the main dining room when his cell phone rang. Listening to what his very angry father was saying, he looked at his boss then gave a sigh. "I will let him know."

Looking at Milo sitting across from him. "I need you to go to the bar."

Once his brother was gone, Max looked at his boss and said "Did you know that Carly caused Jason and Elizabeth's car accident a few years ago. The one that sent him to Seattle for surgery."

When Sonny stilled then looked at him, Max said "I hope for you sake, you didn't. I never told you, but Jason overheard what you said to Elizabeth, in that room. It's what caused the final break. Someone knew, the same someone that killed Carly."

The Cuban went back to that fateful day and recalled what he had said to Elizabeth Webber. "You are trouble and always have been." he added. "I get that Jason loves you and you love him. Yet, every single time he gets involved with you, something happens that puts my business at risk."

At least he now had proof that she was the reason Jason had betrayed him. As he came back to what Max was saying, he said "Wait, are you saying Brenda is in town?" 

"Yeah, Pops said Jason has her someplace safe." he said with a sigh then saw the wheels moving in Sonny's head and just warned the man. "No, you have to know that if you interfere you will be taken out."

"Not necessarily." he said. Standing he went to make a few calls while Milo returned. Max called his father and said "I can't keep him away."

"Then he dies. Max you might want to think if your loyalty to this man is such a good idea. He is planning his own funeral."

In Italy, Jason was quietly telling Elizabeth the rest of the story as per Maximus. When his wife paced back and forth, clearly angry, he just pulled her into his arms and said "She is gone. I wish that we had known before, I would have loved to let her know what I think of her pulling this."

Elizabeth gave a heavy sigh and said "I hate that she was tortured, what we have heard, it's wrong but at the same time, I can't help wondering Jason. Someone out there knew all this stuff about Carly. They KNEW she was getting away with this stuff. So who is doing this and why now?"

Shivering as a cold draft seemed to drift across them, Jason said "I don't know. I am beginning to think this is all connected. Brenda's attack, the past few years, all the stuff that Helena did, and was the kidnapping attempt on our children connected to this other stuff. And I know this world, in spite of the protections on us, that someone didn't make an attempt on Adrianna and you, this tells me that someone, more than likely who ever is maneuvering us like we are pieces on a chess board is playing a very deep game."

"Jason, should we go home?" she asked her mind on protecting the children.

"No." he replied. "I think that for some reason, they want us here, away from the games."

Rubbing her back, sensing Elizabeth was frightened by the knowledge that someone, someplace was keeping tabs on them, he said "I am going to warn Johnny. Let Cody and him work the Port Charles angle while I work on things from here."

"Jason, I know I don't have to say it, but please be careful." she said kissing her husband as they stood there watching the stars twinkling in the sky, both having no idea that their fears that whoever was doing this close was true as the man looking at the monitor said to the man who entered.

"It's almost time. I want our people to let the pawns in our little game loose. Then have our people start to deal with Corinthos. By now, he has to wonder what is going on, let's let him know about Barrett, then make sure that she is the last thing he sees before he died." 

On Thanksgiving, Brenda who had had it with hiding, was taken to the Scorpio residence by Johnny where she was charmed by Robin's daughter Emma. Seeing Patrick Drake for the first time, she hugged the man and said "I can see why she loved you."

Midway through the meal where she also met Maxie's husband Matt Hunter, she said "You two girls are getting too big. Georgie, what about you, are you seeing anyone one?"

The brunette saw the awkward tableau between Johnny and her then said "Did I just stick my foot in my mouth?"

"No." Georgie protested with a weak laugh. "I just spend more of my time with Jason and Johnny, so it has been hard to find time to date. Most nights, I have dinner in the office or at meetings with Johnny."

Johnny looked at the woman who had no idea what was going to be happening as he just hid his frown. Elizabeth Morgan was right, she told him that Georgie had self esteem issues as a result of her family and what had happened with her ex Dillon. That if he wanted a future with the woman, a blunt, frontal assault was the only way to go.

Looking at the calendar, he saw that Christmas was less than 28 days away. Making things happen was slow work, but surprisingly he had been shocked when Mac had agreed to his plan on their long drive back from the Catskills. He had agreed with Johnny's take on the situation.

A week later, Patrick Drake had just dropped his daughter off at daycare when he got the call. "The McCall woman is awake." 

At the same time, Audrey Hardy was opening a letter, it's contents had her gasping for air, shocked. Making an immediate telephone call, she said "Someone knows."

Jason thanked his mother for the news then went to find Elizabeth. "Your grams had a heart attack. She was at City Hall and grabbed her chest just before collapsing. She was rushed to GH where she is now in a room. They gave her some nitro pills and she is resting comfortably."

"Oh god, did, did whoever this is get to her." she asked horrified.

Gathering his wife into his arms, he said "No, the man I had on Audrey said she was feeling off for a few weeks, Monica just told me that she had been warning Audrey to slow down a bit since Thanksgiving but that she has been insisting on doing things for herself, just like another stubborn member of the Hardy family."

Pouting a bit as he kissed her, she said "I am not stubborn."

Hiding the grin, she saw the corners of his mouth twitching and elbowed him. "You should be very glad I love you, right this moment."

"We have to go back, I will arrange for Etta to get our suitcases while I take care of the kids presents." he said quietly. "You get to deal with the heathens."

Jason had tried to keep it light, but Elizabeth was still upset about her grams. "Elizabeth, she will be fine. Monica and Dr. Julian are both monitoring her, Emily has said she won't leave her until we arrive and Steven is on his way back from Colorado."

"Wait, what was Steven doing in Colorado?" she asked blinking in surprise.

"He told Monica that he was looking for something, for Audrey." Jason said as he went to arrange for the jet and to ease them through the customs process.

**December 15, again**

Elizabeth and the boys entered the elevator while Jason was carrying their little girl. Audrey had been well enough to talk to them when they called and wanted to see the children since it had been a few months. Neither were real thrilled with the idea, since they knew Sam was awake and a patient there.

Hearing a ding, she looked up just as Jason stepped out and heard someone screaming "NO!" Elizabeth saw rushing towards then and pushed the boys behind her, worried about Adrianna as well only to see Jason's arms encircle their daughter as if to protect her from the screeching woman.

"Sam, now is not the time." said Alexis. Elizabeth saw the attorney and sighed at how exhausted she looked even as she looked around for a way to protect her children. When Sam opened her mouth and started shouting again, all they could do was stare as the woman seemed to have lost all contact with reality.

"How can you do this to me? To our child?" she asked. "How could you cheat on me again? After all I have done for you? All I have given up to be with you? How much I put up with that bitch you call a best friend? That stupid kid that is going to grow up to be a serial killer?"

Agreeing with Sam's comment on Carly, she had to wonder who the future serial killer was. But when the upset pregnant girl reached out and grasped Jason's hand, Elizabeth wanted to slap her right then and there.

Reaching out, Sam placed his hand on her stomach and said "Can't you feel it, our child, growing inside of me? Please, Jason, tell me, tell me that this isn't true. That you didn't take back this slut?"

When Monica moved forward, Elizabeth quietly asked her to take the boys away. They had been warned about Sam, but seeing was believing as clearly she had lost her mind.

Elizabeth then turned to Sam and said "You are a good one to talk. You slept with your stepfather," Yes, she had slept with Jason while married to Lucky, but at the time he had been boffing a teenager who was his drug supplier.

"You, you bitch. You act holier than thou then slept with Nik while being engaged to Lucky, and didn't even use birth control. Nik was mourning your so-called best friend, and you screwed him in the same bed he slept with Emily. I mean, Jason's sister was barely dead before you were hanging all over him." Pretty much everyone in the area's jaw dropped at what she was saying, including Jason and Elizabeth's.

The brunette who had come down from the other side of the hub to greet her brother and her best friend, stopped shocked at what the woman was saying, quietly made herself known. "Sam, what are you talking about?"

"Rebecca, you know what I am talking about. Elizabeth the whore Webber who spread her legs for Nik after you sister died at the Black and White ball. She can't help cheating on any man she is with." Sam looked around and saw the expressions of disgust on people's faces. "And that isn't the worst of it. She lied, told everyone that her kid was Nik's, when clearly she was also fucking my boyfriend... lying to me all this time."

"Sam, come with me." said Kelly Lee. They had done all they could, had redirected hospital traffic away from Sam's room, kept people who she claimed were dead or gone away from her. Even her own sisters had been banned because they were afraid what they would say.

Shaking her head, hoping the baby would be fine, she tried to get Sam to come with her. But the woman just refused to move. Glaring at Elizabeth she said "You, you having Jason's child is nothing, so am I. He loves me, he has always loved me You trapped him with that kid, then tried it again... but he still came back to m-"

Sam's adrenaline was pumping and she never felt the prick of the needle before she fell back unconscious onto the gurney they had waiting there. Alexis turned and glared at Jason. "What are you two doing here? You know that Molly needs her to deliver that baby healthy. Why the hell couldn't you stay away?"

"Alexis, my grandmother had a heart attack." said Elizabeth quietly. "While I am sorry for what you are going through, my grams wants to see the boys and they, they want to see her." 

She was not going to apologize again, Elizabeth saw Alexis' face and knew she had come to realize what she had said went to far as she added. "I am sorry, but we are so close. So damn close." 

Seeing Patrick coming their way, Elizabeth greeted her co-worker then said "I think you might need to tell us what is going on, don't you?" 

"Sorry, I guess I should have told you more on the phone." he said grimacing. "When you are finished with your grams, and taking care of the boys, meet me in the conference room. Jason, we need you there as well." 

Patrick went to get Alexis knowing she had to be there, there were things they had kept from her in the need to protect her but now, now they had no choice but to tell her what her eldest daughter had been up to. 

After a discussion about how Sam should have been shocked out of her dream world but wasn't, they walked to where Jason and Elizabeth were now waiting. "Alexis, Elizabeth just told me that the night Sam took that dive, she was the one who in the middle of that chaos manipulating things in regards to telling Lucky the truth. She knew since May of '07 that Jake belonged to Jason." 

Stunned, the lawyer looked at Jason, then at Elizabeth and closed her eyes as she was told what they had kept silent about for so long. "My daughter, my child watched as this woman kidnapped your son? Then hired two men; why didn't you tell us before this? When the press was making her out to be a victim?" 

Elizabeth reached across then said grasping an upset Alexis' hands to comfort her and said "For you, for her sisters. We didn't think that you needed to add having this plus all the other stuff you had learned to be a burden to your future."

Alexis stood letting go of Elizabeth, then wiping her tears said "I had no idea. Jason, she truly believes that you are the father of her child. Has Patrick told you what she believes regarding the past few years. I mean, she knows part of the truth. I just don't get that."

"We think that having the television on and then hearing the medical staff talk as well as those visiting her telling her stuff, Sam turned it all around to make herself the heroine in her own dreams. Elizabeth, you heard what she was saying out there to me, it sounds like Sam got through this by turning things around in her head." 

"Patrick, is she a danger to my family?" asked Elizabeth while her hand now reached for Jason's. They had enough to worry about, without adding an insane Sam McCall to the mix. She was already volatile enough. 

Jason had already called in some of the guards he trusted with his family's protection then reading what Sam had said plus what Kelly Lee had taped and said "I think we need to consider going back to Italy immediately after the holidays."

Kelly entered and showed Patrick the results of her tests. "We just need her permission to induce. Alexis, I talked to Molly's nurse, we are a bit concerned because she has been tossing and turning in her bed."

Early in the morning two days later, after getting the feeling her grams was not telling them something, Elizabeth decided to see what they could find out during the family's visit with the woman that morning. When the boys had spent an hour with Audrey, she had asked Jason for a moment alone with Elizabeth. 

"Grams, what is it?" she asked watching as her boys raced out the door to find their grandmother. 

"I have something to tell you, something I have kept a secret. There are only two people still on this earth that know what I do." 

"Who is the other one?" she asked only to be told it wasn't important. "Okay, so did Gramps know?" 

"Yes. Elizabeth several years ago, we helped cover up a crime." Seeing her granddaughters shock, she said "No, not a murder or anything like that. Just a simple theft." 

""Grams, what is going on." Elizabeth got the feeling there was something her grams wasn't telling her. 

"A man ran into the street in front of our car one night. We stopped to help him and he begged us not to go to the police. Your grandfather wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, until the man announced that Mr. Corinthos was the one who had him beaten." Audrey saw Elizabeth's shock, then said "This was a few years before Jason went to work for him. He was still running that filthy strip club then." 

"Okay, so Grandpa and you saved this man." she said a bit confused as to why it was coming up now. "How did you cover up a theft?" she asked a bit shocked. 

"The man had been hired by Mr. Corinthos to steal something from the Barrett house. This was also a few years before he started to date Ms. Barrett, obviously." she said dryly.

"When he didn't get what the man wanted, he had him systematically beaten. When you and Jason first started being friends, I kept thinking about that poor man and knew what Jason did for Mr. Corinthos, it made me nervous because the thief, well, I had seen him frequently with Mr. Corinthos and described as a pal, or a friend."

"Oh grams, I wish you had told me." she said sadly. "What else?"

"The stolen item, the reason he was beat was because it was a fake. The original is still missing. At least I always thought so, then do you remember when you were gone, when you had to fake your death. I went to see Mr. Corinthos. Elizabeth, that item, the stolen jade box, it was on his mantle. And I made a point of admiring it. There was a crack in the original, it was how he had known that he was given a copy by his thief." 

"Grams?" Elizabeth knew her grandmother and that if she had known the woman would have sent the police over. 

"A man was there, a guard. He saw me looking at the box, he came to see me just before he disappeared. He said he had always respected you, then said one thing I have never forgotten and have been fighting for years. He said someday, Jason and you would get the courage to be together and if I ever needed to get rid of Mr. Corinthos to take the package he gave me to a man called the Balkan." 

"Excuse me?" asked Elizabeth by now, past being stunned. "The who?"

"The Balkan, he is a well known art dealer. I had heard the name years ago. He is my age. Elizabeth I received a letter a few weeks ago. Someone knows everything. I went to my safety deposit box and got out the small package. Inside there was a... here, hand me my purse." 

Elizabeth gave Audrey her purse. "When I opened the package originally there was a dragon seal on the box. Then when I got the letter, it had the same symbol but with a leprechaun dancing on that dragon. Now I heard about that assassin that took out Mrs. Corinthos, an Irishman."

"Grams, I think we need to get Jason in here." she said stopping the elderly woman from talking. Going to find her husband, Elizabeth gave him the short version as they went to Audrey's room. "Grams, I told Jason what you already told me."

"Elizabeth, my dear. Next time, let me finish." scolded the woman. "I was trying to tell you something. The symbol, this dragon with the green man, it isn't the Balkan's; he didn't like the Irish, felt they took the help of the those who had his country under their control."

"Johnny O'Brien." announced Jason. When both women looked at him, he scowled a bit at Elizabeth before saying. "Did you really think I would kill Johnny?"

"No, but back then you had your head so far up..." Jason kissed his wife then looking at Mrs. Hardy asked. "What did the letter say?" 

"He knew that I uh, before I meet Steve. I was a flight attendant, they had to be nurses back then. Uh, Elizabeth." Getting it, Elizabeth chuckled and said "Grams, were you involved with a bad boy, isn't that what you called Jason?"

"No, at least not like you think." she said embarrassed. "At the time, he was determined to rescue his country, and I well, there was too much I didn't know so I came to see Lucille, then met your grandfather Steve and well the rest is history."

"Mrs. Hardy, what is it you are trying to tell us." asked Jason, he could see she kept getting sidetracked but knew that whatever was going on was important.

"He had two children, a girl stillborn and a boy with a woman in Cuba." she said. "She was the daughter of a counterrevolutionary trying to get Castro out at the time. I found out all of this when Harlan Barrett moved to Port Charles. You may not remember but the man wasn't always on the side of the law. He had connections in Cuba."

"Mrs. Hardy, do you think that Sonny is that child?" asked Jason even as he wondered about Mike Corbin. "Do you think he knows?"

"I don't know, but I know the letter wasn't written by the man I knew, the part that has me concerned is that he knows way too much about some stuff here in Port Charles. It's why I am convinced it is your former man, O'Brien. I think he went looking for the man I knew and that somehow he has replaced him."

Jason talked to Audrey a few minutes more then went to make a few calls. "I need you to check into this Balkan, compare his movements from 2003 to five years before and to now."

Heading to the office, Jason pulled off the road and thought for a few minutes. Then turned and went back to GH hoping that Elizabeth had taken the children home. "Mrs. Hardy, what didn't you tell Elizabeth?"

There was a deer in the headlights look then the woman said with a heavy sigh. "The letter I received wasn't the only one, the next mentioned you. He said to tell you to look into Southridge Construction. That all your answers lie there."

"How many more letters?" he asked looking into her eyes. "It's very important, please, don't kept it from me." 

"Two, the one that caused the heart attack, I found out that Steven's son, Jeff, well did something stupid and now he can't return as a result. If he had dealt with it at the time, things would have been fine. Now, it is too late. He is facing jail time." 

"What did he do?" asked Jason as he tried to figure out what to do about the man who had abandoned his daughter.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and said "He lied about something to help a friend. Unfortunately that friend was using him. Now, Jeff has a felony charge, the moment he enters the country, he is going to jail."

Determined to talk to Steven about that, Jason thanked her and went to make a call. After talking to Johnny, he said "I need to speak to Brenda. Find out what she knows then locate her assistant this Suzanne woman, she lied to me."

"She is at Crimson Point." replied Johnny. When he heard Jason growl, he said "Hey, Brenda wanted her to come. I had Georgie drive her out because security wouldn't have let her in otherwise."

Cody did the research, wishing they still had Spinelli then grimaced thinking on it, maybe not, the man was a pain in the rear. Then thinking on it, called over to GH, Stan said "I will be over in an hour."

When Jason called back giving him the name of the construction company, he hit a brick wall at first then made a call to the Romano family's enforcer. "They are outsiders, wanting a piece of the pie. Tell you boss to contact us, there were rumors about someone with the inside track making deals with them."

Getting that they suspected Sonny, Cody looked at the man entering and said "Stan, great timing, can you track down Milo and Max's movements. See if they connect at any point with Southridge Construction."

"Don't have to." the man said grimly. "When I was driving by Sonny's restaurant, they are doing the expansion."

"How did we miss that?" asked the bald man as he called his boss, told to take it to the family's by Jason as he decided it was time to talk to Brenda and Suzanne, together. When he arrived, Georgie was already there and the young woman didn't look too happy.

Coming into the hall, she said "Suzanne is trying to get Brenda to return to Rome."

"I need you to head back." he told his assistant. "Try and get Brenda to go with you, I need a moment with Suzanne."

When it didn't work, Jason called Johnny. "I need you here."

When the man arrived, Jason who had been talking to Georgie waited until she had pulled down the driveway and then they rejoined the women just as the phone rang. "Let Johnny get it. Suzanne, we need to talk."

"Jason, if this is about my going back to Rome, she is right. I can't just abandon my responsibilities." Brenda had been reminded that people depended on her getting the word out about the abuse those children were suffering.

"I agree, you will be heading back to Rome, but without you." he said looking at the older woman. When Johnny returned, he said "Was I right?"

"Yes, and I talked to the man himself." he said grimly letting Jason know that Maximus had found Brenda's attacker. He had also made one more call, one that they would never have before going legit.

"Brenda, the Balkan doesn't want to harm you, you were sent to Port Charles to protect you. Were you aware that Suzanne has a past with Murphy Sinclair. They were lovers when he was just starting out and she was an established top tier model."

The model looked at her friend then said "No, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Did Murphy ever mention his late fiancee to you?" he asked never taking his eyes off the woman who was now looking a little nervous. "That she died in a skiing accident, while Suzanne was there."

"No, I didn't know that." she said then looked between Jason and Suzanne and said "What else don't I know?"

"Suzanne, why don't you tell her?" asked Johnny from where he stood. "Brenda, we know who the Balkan is. My guess is that Ms. Bandaue doesn't. Yet according to her, your invite the night of the attack came straight from his office."

"Brenda, you can't believe some thug with a history of killing people, over me. Mr. Morgan has his own reasons for wanting you to stay in Port Charles. Why else hasn't he done more to catch your attacker."

Jason walked over and whispered a name in Brenda's ear. The model froze then stared at Suzanne a minute then slapped the woman across the face. "You, you did this. You terrorized me, for what? You knew I was going to say no, that I had no intentions of marrying Murphy. Why? Why did you do this?" 

Reaching up to cup her now stinging face, Suzanne was going to deny the accusations, then looked around as the police entered the room. "Why? You are asking me why. Seriously, you can have any man you wanted, but you walked into my office and he just drooled. Made it clear what we had was in the past and staying that way this time. Then when I got to know you, I liked you, decided you would work well for his mate, you were going to END THINGS. How dare you?" she asked the woman.

"And in the end, the person who ended up dead was him." said Brenda in disgust. "Get her out of my face." 

Mac came forward, then said "Brenda, I need to contact the police in Rome, we don't have anything we can charge her on here." 

"Actually you do." said Johnny pulling out the letters from his desk. "These were sent to Brenda, while she was staying here." 

That evening, after watching the news, a man sitting in a chair looked at his associate and said "Push Corinthos, I want him gone." 

"Sir?" asked the older man. They knew Corinthos was going to die, but to push the man might send him over the edge and that, they didn't want. At least not yet. "And the woman?" 

"Just keep an eye on her daughter." he said coldly. "What about the others, how are they reacting." 

"That red head, she is worried about her grandchildren. Dr. Niles, do I send her the present." 

"No, our men found out that she wasn't involved with Ms Scorpio's death. The hotel, find a way to empty it, then take it down." he said before adding. "The Towers, too if it is possible."

Over the next few days, as Sam drifted in and out, she heard things, that didn't make sense, but then the news added to her confusion as a loft apartment building burnt to the ground. That Dante Falconari's old place was the start of the fire, concerned them. But when there was a fire at the Towers, followed by one down at the docks in an old Corinthos Morgan warehouse, Mac talked to Jason.

"I have found a connection between each of these buildings and you." he told the man.

"I am aware of that. The lofts, I gave Courtney an apartment there, then the Towers, of course that and the warehouse was connected to me." he replied just as Mac got another call. Grimacing he said "Corinthos, his latest venture just burnt to the ground."

Leaving, Mac went to talk to the man, only to be called over by the fire inspector. "It was arson, but this time, we have the guy."

"You recognize the signature?" asked the cop.

"Yes, but when I say we have the guy, our men caught him in the process of starting yet another fire." replied Chief Wisman. "At that diner down by the docks."

Mac saw the man in the back of the fire inspectors car and said "Wait, I know him. A bolo was sent a few weeks ago, some connection between Spencer and him."

"I thought you would us to keep him." replied Wisman. Moving in, he opened the door and said "He is all yours."

"What the hell is your interest in Spencer and why are you going after the these buildings?" he asked as the man with the scruff and the ponytail was taken away. As the fire department finally got the fire under control, Mac got another call, this time about a break-in at Alexis' house.

Heading out there, he was a bit annoyed when the attorney tried to claim it was a false alarm in spite of the broken window and clear mess in her living room. "Alexis, if you don't tell me what is going on, I can't help you."

Nervously she just said "Nothing, honestly, Mac. No one broke in."

"And the reason your house looks like you are auditioning for an episode of World's Messiest House is?" he said then when she shut down, he said "Fine, but you know how to reach me if you help."

Cruz called him as he drove back t town and said "Sir, the kid, you might want to hear his story."

"In the morning, right now, I want my bed." said the man as he finally got some sleep.

In another household, Elizabeth and Jason were telling Brenda all that had been learned in the last few months. "Things weren't adding up. We knew there was someone on the inside, but then we found out the article in the paper, the one that sent us to see you. It wasn't in the normal newspaper. There were a few other things."

"When did you find out about Johnny O'Brien." she asked shaking her head. "I have spent almost six months terrified of this man and all this time he has been an old friend. Why didn't he just tell me?"

"I didn't know, either. Only Audrey Hardy suspected and that was only because of the letter she got." said Jason. When Elizabeth stood and went to check on the children, she was thanked by Brenda. "You didn't have to come and check on me, yet you did. I just can't help wondering how he knew?"

"He used to guard Elizabeth." said Jason as he watched his wife leaving the room, not knowing that Brenda was watching wistfully as she remembered a time when a man she had loved had looked at her that way. "As of tomorrow, you are free to go wherever you want." 

"Uh, I am thinking of sticking around." she said with a sad laugh. "Jason, she is the one, the reason you were such a mess all those years ago, isn't she? It wasn't the tall blond."

"Yes, but I still can't help thinking at times that I don't deserve to have her in my life." he replied with a grin of his own. "But if anyone were to try and take her away. they would have quite a fight on their hands. She and our children are my life."

Hugging her old friend, she said "I am going to shock the hell out of Jax and go check into his hotel." 

Seeing her impish grin, he said "Are you sure that is what you want to do?" 

"Yes, I can't keep hiding from my past, nor my fears and after almost a month and a half of Georgie and Johnny nonsense I have seen enough evasion techniques to last me a lifetime. I need to talk to Sonny as well, make it clear that we are the past." 

"Brenda, the man you knew, he is long gone. Be careful." was all he said. Then stopping her asked about the jade box.

"Dad brought it back from the Caribbean years ago. I mean, it was worth some money but I was kind of glad when it went missing. Dad told Julia it was the key to great riches and they both were obsessed with it. Why?"

"I will tell you when this is all over." he said then watched her leave. Heading up the stairs, he saw his wife showering and went to lock up. When she still hadn't came out, he slowly fell asleep his mind wrapped up in figuring out what the heck Johnny O'Brien was playing at pretending to be some notorious killer.

Elizabeth entered the bedroom, then gave a soft chuckle when she saw Jason asleep with only a sheet covering him and as he tossed and turned, it moved lower yet, exposing his lower stomach. Running her warm hand down his chest, from shoulder to thigh, as an artist she admired the play of the muscles but as a wife, she found herself gently teasing him, hoping he woke up.

"You are playing with fire." said the sleepy voice of her husband as he leaned on his elbows and lifted his torso off the bed. Bending down, she kissed the scar from when he had stayed at her studio all those years ago as he reached to take her hand.

Lifting her eyes, she said "I am feeling cold, so fire, yeah, that sound real nice."

Jason slid his hand up her arm, along her collarbone, cupping her nape before gliding the back of his hand down her chest, between her breasts, not touching just teasing. The turning the hand over, placed his palm against her ribcage before heading back up until his fingertips grazed her nipples, watching as they tightened and pointed.

Circling gently then molding the softness surrounding it, Jason looked at her and said "No matter how many times we wake up curled up together, when I see you like this, I am amazed at how beautiful you are."

When her arms went around his neck, Jason rubbed her nipple gently, just enjoying her response then when she moaned, knowing what would come next, he said "Mine." Then lowered his head and pulled her pointed tip into his mouth.

His mouth never left her, as he used his hands to lift her across him until she was straddling the hard evidence of his want. When he had her where he wanted her, Jason moved his hand up to cup her other breast to tease and torment even as he made a meal of her.

"Dammit, Jason." she moaned. "Stop, you are driving me crazy. I want to play too."

With a wicked smile, he released the nipple, looked into her eyes then lowered his head to torment her yet again. Between the sudden hot moist breath to the cold hitting one tip and then the other nipple being teased and played with, Elizabeth was about to lost it.

Jason used his tongue to strum then encircle her now aching nipple and Elizabeth felt the sensation traveling from her breasts down to her thighs, the heat pooling inside of her. Squeezing her thighs around his straining hips, she moaned as Jason pressed up, nothing between them but their need.

Elizabeth reached down, curling around his hardness, watching his face as his hands and lips suddenly stilled and he was now the one moaning out loud as she gently stroked him, then firmer and finally faster, finding the speed she knew it took to drive him wild. Just as she felt his pulse quicken, he reached down and turned her onto her back, lifting her hands and pinning them above her head.

Curling them around the headboard, Jason kissed his way down her neck, his mouth moving lower, taking time out to place gentle kisses on each mound, he moved lower again. His tongue flicked at her belly button then each of her hipbones.

His hands gripped her hips as he gently kissed the top of her curls then their path moved lower still. As he kissed her very sensitive clit, Elizabeth's back arched off the bed, partly at what he was doing and partly in the knowledge of what was going to come next. His hands tightened their grip as he separated the moist folds and placed a kiss on the spot he knew would drive her wild.

His tongue stroking in and out of her center, making her moan and arch as he held her hips in place not letting her move at all. Thrusting her fingers into his hair, trying to get him to ease up, she moaned yet again when he lifted his head just for a second to flick again at her bud.

"Jason, please, please." she panted as he pushed two of his fingers inside of her and sent her over the edge, their eyes staring into each others the entire time. Releasing her grip on his hair, she moaned at seeing the triumph in his eyes, her arms falling to her sides as she felt boneless.

Jason gave a soft laugh then before she recover, he moved up, over her body and thrust hard, entering her fully while her insides were still trembling from her orgasm. When this quickly sent her over, yet again, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, we aren't done yet.

As her second climax gripped him internally, clenching tightly around him, she took her joy in his loud moan as burying his head in her neck to make sure the children didn't hear, he thrust again and again and again.

When Elizabeth came for the third time, she was beyond thought but Jason still wasn't finished as he slowed down long enough for her to recover then asked "Are you ready for round four."

Letting out a helpless moan, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he started to move harder, then faster until she was positive that she was seeing lights. This time, she felt his body become rigid as he could no longer control his own response.

Their world was centering on where they were intimately linked, her thighs still gripping him as they both went over the abyss. As they relaxed, Elizabeth ran her hands though his hair and down his back laughing when he said if she kept that up they would be in for round five.

Slowly drifting off to sleep, Jason tightened his arms around his wife and gave thanks that they were together.


	8. Chapter 8

Jason took a look then contacted his former partner. When Sonny dodged a meeting, the blond knew he was doing EXACTLY what he had been warned not to do. He was trying to find a way back in. Calling Maximus, the man made plans to get his sons out of dodge knowing that the hammer was gonna fall and fall hard on the neck of the Cuban.

Thankful that he didn't have much to do at the office other than sign bonuses, Jason went to asked Johnny what they had found out regarding the Balkan. Seeing the younger man's uneasiness plus his hesitation before answer, he groaned and said "Why do I think I am not going to like this?"

"You won't. We were getting nowhere, when Georgie overheard Cody and I talking. Uh, she made a call, we got what we were looking for, faxed to us. Then she got a call giving her the uncensored version. The man we know as the Balkan, the original one, died two years ago."

Handing him the picture, Jason said "He looks familiar."

"He should, he spent a lot of time, here under the radar. Then about the same time you ignored Sonny's orders regarding O'Brien, he went back to Europe permanently, taking his new assistant with him. It looks like he found your man, hired him and when he died, he left everything and I mean EVERYTHING to him."

"What about the connection to Sonny?" he asked thinking what his former boss would do with that kind of money and power and shuddered at the idea.

"From the looks of things, the window is there for him to be his son. Where that leaves Mike Corbin, I don't know. Anyhow, he left Cuba, went back to his hideout in Europe and fomented revolution. But when the Iron Curtain fell, well, it didn't go his way. His country fell to pieces and he chose to stay out of it other than one more connection to Port Charles."

"What is that?" asked Jason looking at the man's picture.

"Jeff Webber, he supplied everything DWB's used in the area to take care of anyone needing medical help once the man joined the team. My guess would be in respect for Audrey Hardy. He never married by the way, short term mistresses, no marriages and no relationships, at least none long term. It looks like he was in seriously in love with the woman."

"I can't help wondering what else she might know." he admitted. "But I can't push, Elizabeth wants to let it go."

"I would let it go, it doesn't really connect to what we needed to know anyhow." he said. "As for Sonny, his mother had a cheap fake version of that jade box. It looks like he saw it at the Barretts somehow and wanted it."

"Brenda said there were rumors of it being connected to great wealth and power." he said. "So my guess is that is why Sonny wanted it."

"Oh, she ran into Sonny then Mike Corbin at the hospital today. It looks like Sonny tried to make himself out the hero, only to be shot down." reported the man entering. Cody sat down then said "Sonny then left and had a meeting with two men. Romanian from the looks of things."

"Jason, would O'Brien?" he left it open when he saw Jason's confirming nod. "Do we interfere?"

"No, let Sonny find out what breaking his word will cost him. However, I made a promise to Max's father. Check on both Milo and him." said Jason only to hear footsteps then the two men entering looking a bit worse for wear.

"Jason, Sonny was kidnapped. The men said it was at the order of the Balkan. I know you two are done, but for the sake of the past, you have to save him." said Max a bit out of breath. "I have been keeping him clean, so please consider."

"Max, the Southridge Construction Company is corrupt. Sonny has been playing you. I promised your father, we would get Milo and you out of the country, but Sonny, well Sonny is on his own." said Jason while Johnny and Cody backed him up.

Elizabeth had finished visiting with her grams when she walked down the hallway towards Alexis only to see Sam being escorted back to her room. Shivering as the emotionally dead eyes of the pregnant woman looked at her and sneered, she just kept walking past as if she didn't exist.

"You think you have won bitch, well I know this isn't real." she muttered at Elizabeth who just smiled when she saw Brenda talking to Georgie who seemed to be trying to say no to something.

Epiphany saw her part time nurse and said "When are you returning to the schedule."

"We were planning on staying in Italy until the New Years, now it looks like we will just be remaining here. There are a few loose ends, and only a couple of them connect to the delusional patient you have down the hall." she said with a heavy sigh. "Did I hear right, Dr. Niles tries to commit suicide?"

"Yes, she is at Shadybrook." the head nurse told her.

Sonny was tied up, with duct tape on his mouth and a blind fold covering his eyes. "Well, well Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, finally cut down to size."

Sonny knew that sneering voice from someplace, but couldn't recall it. When the duct tape covering his mouth was pulled off, he grimaced at the pain and said "You are making a mistake, a very big one. And you are going to pay for it. When Jason finds out."

"Morgan? He knew I have been after you, did nothing to prevent it." said the laughing man. "And I know all about the wedge between the two of you. I let your usual greed and stupidity drive it further than it would have normally but in the end, Jason Morgan will do nothing to save you."

"Who are you?" Sonny asked frustrated. "And why are you after me?"

"Oh, me, I am not after you. I have just been waiting for you to fall into my lap. Which you did so willingly. As for why, well to be honest. It is simply a matter of greed and revenge." The green eyed man reached over and pulled off the blind fold and looked at Sonny who was blinking at the sudden light.

All the Cuban saw was an outline of a tall man in good shape. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he once again had the feeling he knew this man. Then was furious when he saw who it was. "Johnny O'Brien? How the hell, Jason killed you. I told him to do it."

"Yes, you told him to kill me, but Jason knew I had been set up. So he got me out of town, fortunately for me, I made one last stop before I left and that, that step, well it gave me the world. Women in every port if I want them, more money than Bill Gates and most importantly, the power to deal with you, you son of a bitch."

"I would have heard, if you were anyone important." said Sonny dismissing his former guard. "This is all shadows and mirrors, in the end, you will die and I will have the last laugh."

"Actually, I have been the one having a good laugh for the last few years. The tiger you kept leashed, Jason turned around and bit you, like you deserved. And since there is nothing you can do about it, a little more knowledge. You have heard the saying knowledge is power, haven't you?"

Sonny tried to jerk free of the riot cuffs keeping him connected to the chair as Johnny sat down in one across from him. "Sam McCall, is pregnant."

"No shit." said Sonny scowling. "What of it?"

"It's your child, Alexis got your ex-lover, Kate Howard to help her well gain access to it in order to save Molly, Ric's daughter."

Sonny was plotting to make damn sure that that child was in his possession when the man in front of him laughed. "Aw, poor sad mobster. You aren't going to live to see the child's birth."

When he glared but didn't say a word, the man with the laughing green eyes said "I was there when Carly was killed. Someone should have tied that bitch's mouth shut years ago."

With a scoff, Sonny said "Jason will kill you for that one, alone."

"No, he won't. Sonny, I have been orchestrating this moment from behind the scenes for so long, I am almost giddy at the thrill I am receiving. And you don't even know half of it. That box, the one you had that poor stupid bouncer, what was him name, oh, I know Jared. Well Jared stole the box, he didn't switch it like you thought. Harlan Barretts daughter Julia replaced it. I even know about how your mother had a cheap copy of it."

"Leave my mother out of this." snapped Sonny.

"No, see that is what I am going to take great pleasure in ruining for you. I don't know why you never thought to run DNA tests on Courtney, after all you two looked so differently. See, she wasn't you sister."

"Yes she was, Mike knew her, helped raise her." said Sonny.

"Now I never said Mike wasn't her father. He was her, just not yours." he said with a laugh. "That cheap box, the one your mother treasured so much, that she let Deke use you as a punching bag to protect. Well, it was given to her, as a gift from a man who had made her his mistress."

"How dare you?" Sonny hissed in disbelief. "My mother."

"Was the mistress of a man who loved one woman in his life. When she chose to marry another, he used women for what they could do for him, but never fell in love with another, never chose to even provide his empire with an heir."

"What does that have to do with you?" sneered Sonny.

"That man, gave the original to a partner of his. It didn't mean much to him, unlike Adella who thought it meant he would come back for her. When he didn't, she married Mike and we all know how that turned out. The woman he loved, is still alive, Sonny. You know her, she is Elizabeth Webber's grandmother, Audrey Hardy. Your mother, like you ex mistress Sam was a replacement, a whore taken to satisfy his desires, just like you used Sam." said Johnny with a twisted grin.

When Sonny ranted, claimed he didn't know what he was talking about, Johnny just socked him in the jaw and said "Shut up, I loathed listening to you when I worked for you. The only reason I stayed was Jason. You and your stable of bitches and whores, made me sick."

When Sonny stopped talking, Johnny said "I know you heard the rumors about the box, about how it was connected to great wealth and power. Harlan was right, it is. My power, my riches and they would have all been yours if your own biological father hadn't considered you worthless."

"He came to town, to get a look at you, then decided that you were not someone he wanted to turn his empire over to. Instead, he was watching the woman he had loved for so long, with her granddaughter and happened to see me sneaking in to visit with her."

"Audrey Hardy would no more invited you in then she would me." said Sonny scoffing.

"I left her a present. The box, the original that I stole from you after you had Francis steal it. No, it wasn't Lorenzo Alcazar, I did that. Then I gave it to her, along with the name of the Balkan, at the time I didn't know she was acquainted with the man. He knew who I was, from watching you, hired me. Then when he died, I took over, inherited his wealth, his power."

Looking Sonny in the eyes, he saw the moment the man realized what he had been denied. "Yeah, billions, Sonny. Control of most of the shipping lanes in Europe and enough legitimate businesses that I can never be touched."

"That should have been mine." growled Sonny the wheels of his mind turning as he thought about what he could have done with that much power.

"True but your father found you to be a waste. He once said it was a shame that Jason was a Quartermaine, that he would have made an excellent heir. Now, I have wasted enough time."

Standing, Johnny called out to his men then said "I don't want pieces big enough to be identified. Keep him alive, let the pain kill him. Except for his head, when he finally dies, I want it removed and left where I told you."

Leaving, Johnny heard the first scream and gave a cold blooded smile as he climbed into his limo and sent a message to Morgan. "The accounts he stole from you and hid."

Alexis let herself into her lake side home and saw Kristina sitting on the deck. "It's cold out."

"I know. Mom, we need to talk." she said with a sigh. "I know you are trying to save Molly, I get that, but I can't keep this a secret and clearly someone else knows what is going on."

"Don't worry, it has been handled." said Alexis thinking about how she had made sure that her youngest would be okay. She had also dealt with Sam, the blood thinners she planned on giving her, so that she would be out of it, so that Alexis would have control over the stem cells and her child.

Georgie decorated the Scorpio Christmas tree, a bit depressed because Mac had decided to work, so that Dante could be with Brook and his child, and a few other of his single detectives were doing the same.

She knew that Matt and Maxie were going to be away and didn't want to bother Patrick who would invite her, but she was glad he was getting close to one of the nurses and didn't want to intrude with reminders of Robin.

Hearing the phone ringing, she saw that it was Brenda and thought about not answering it, she had promised the model she would think about going out with a friend of her, but truly didn't want to spend the evening making small talk with someone she had nothing in common with.

Just as she was ready to call it a night and curl up with a good book, Georgie heard the sound of the doorbell. Yanking the door open, she said Brenda standing there then the woman said "I need you, pretty, pretty please. I am going to eat dinner with Jax. Please, just be in the room."

"Brenda, the answer is no." she said then went put up the last of the glass bulbs. "My hitting ignore the eighteen times you called, should have been a signal that I have no intention of helping you."

"Georgie?" Turning she saw Mac in the door as he held onto his phone. "I know you are a little old, but Rogers is looking for a baby sitter this evening."

Glaring she said "I can't, I have to help Brenda."

The woman smirked in triumph as she said "Let's get you out of these clothes and into something young and sexy."

"Brenda, my wardrobe doesn't extend to sexy." she said only to be told to wait right there. The woman rushed out to her car and returned with a garment bag. "Sexy coming right up."

When she had tossed on her jacket, Georgie glared at the model as she fought with her over taking her cell phone. "Brenda as part of my job, I am required to have it on me at all times. So get over it."

Accepting that at least she was going to have dinner with Vince Thomas, Brenda drew her to the car. "You two are going to have so much in common." she said with a huge grin.

At GH, Alexis got the call she had been waiting on. "I will be right there."

Joining her daughter, she sat down across from her. A few minutes later, Sam exploded, not believing what her mother was telling her. When she tossed out memories of the real world, and Alexis rejected each one, she was starting to panic, then the pain started.

She saw the expectant look in Alexis eyes and said "What is going on, it's too soon."

"No, Sam it isn't. You are almost nine months pregnant." Alexis decided that since Sam didn't have much time, now was the time to tell the truth.

"That's impossible," she snapped. "I want to talk to Jason, now!"

"Jason Morgan won't come Sam. He hasn't been in your life for over three years. Now calm down so that your baby can be born." Alexis said not adding what she really wanted to.

"Then if Jason isn't the father of my child, who is?" she snapped, something was off, this dream, well nightmare really was becoming painful. Did dreams cause pain?

"Sonny." replied Alexis as she called Dr. Lee. "Sam is in labor."

"No, that isn't possible." she stated. "I-I-"

Looking into her mother's eyes, Sam knew something was wrong. "What did you do?"

"You are going to give birth tonight to your late daughter's full blooded sister. I will raise her, not even Sonny knows about this child. You will more than likely slip into a coma. At least according to the doctors who advised against your being pregnant. Then you will die. And Kelly and Patrick, they have no proof that I was the one who did this. Oh, I am sure they suspect, but I made damn sure that there was no actual proof."

"Why?" Sam had tears in her eyes, she didn't want to die, not when she had so much to live for. She had seen Elizabeth was dead, she knew that this was not really happening but she had heard when you die in your dreams, you were truly dead. Looking up at the woman she once again asked "Why would you do this to your own daughter?"

Alexis looked her straight in the eyes and said "To save your younger sister. Molly is sick and you and this baby are the only way to save her."

Sam could feel the blood, then saw her doctors entering, struggling to stay conscious, she was soon out of it and felt herself floating on air even as in the distance she heard Dr. Lee talking about doing a c-section.

Sam felt herself floating, as if outside her own body. Looking down, she saw the burnt out Towers, then the warehouses down by the docks. At least Sonny's restaurant was where it normally was, she thought to herself. Until she was reading the sign on the door and started to panic.

"Closed due to Owners death." Seeing Max and Milo as they fled, she listened as the older brother explained to Milo that they had to leave and now. "Like Jason told us, pop confirmed that a deal was made to protect us."

Moving on, she saw Dante, but he was holding a baby while talking to the tramp who took money from Carly to seduce that very man. Not seeing Lulu, she frowned, then realized that no one had mentioned the blond's name regarding recent activities.

She went to Shadybrook still amused that Elizabeth had been a patient, she saw Olivia Falconari and frowned, wait, what was she doing there? Moving closer, she listened as the woman went on and on about how Sonny had betrayed her. "Yeah, right, Sonny is loyal only to himself." 

Thinking on the man, she went to see what he was up to and was a bit surprised to realize she couldn't. Then tried again, finally she saw the man, or at least his head. Propped up on the DA's dresser in a box. "Contact the police, but they won't find anything left."

Floating around, she was a bit upset to see Kristina joking and laughing with friends instead of being the sullen and withdrawn teen she had known. "Michael!" the girl called out.

Turning Sam frowned even more when Michael had no angst, instead he was holding a girls hands, talking about attending college. "How is Molly?"

"Mom won't let me be there. I think she is worried that I might go tell someone what she did." said the younger girl in an annoyed tone. "I mean, seriously, does she really think anyone cares that Sam is probably going to die?"

"Doesn't that bother you?" he asked looking at his sister.

"It should, but we weren't close. Then there is all the stuff she did to the Morgan kids." she said sadly. "Mac Scorpio said that even if she wakes up, she is facing at least fifteen years in prison."

Leaving in a huff, Sam went to the Q's, certain to be a fountain of misery. Instead she saw Monica talking to Edward who was ordering Alice to hurry and get the door. Growling when she saw the Morgan family in mass, joining them, Sam tried to stay but found she couldn't.

Heading towards the hospital, she saw the building with the lighted sigh and went inside. Seeing Johnny Zachara on the phone with someone then saying thanks, she wondered why he wasn't with Olivia, his lover at Shadybrook. Moving in, she saw the ring, then heard who he intended to give it to and screamed in frustration as she found yet again something deviating from what should be going on.

Maxie, no, she was with Matt, not Spinelli. The geek, she couldn't find him, at the hotel, she started to scream as pain hit, serious and deep pain. Looking around, desperate for something anything to tell her that this was all a dream, she freaked when she saw Jax showing off his daughter to Brenda Barrett, then explaining that he had custody of Morgan.

Relaxing a bit, Sam was in pain again when she saw Rebecca, no Emily, wait which one? Her head was hurting, her stomach felt like it was on fire as she ended up at GH in time to see herself giving birth. "Alexis, she is weak, I doubt she is going to make it. We need a name for the baby."

"Lila, since Sonny buried Jason and my daughter with his mother's name." hissed the woman only for Alexis to look at the little girl then say "Nicolina, to honor my nephew."

Sam started to scream as the pain intensified, looking around, trying to find a hold, all she felt was pain, then more pain and finally nothing. She felt nothing, like she was in an abyss. She watched from near the ceiling as Kelly covered her face with a sheet then called time of death.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Sam screamed.

Kelly swore she heard something, then wondering if even Sam McCall somehow, had had a soul said "Sam, you do know that if you die in your dreams, you are dead in the real world."

Screaming no, no, no,no,no no, no, no, no. Sam felt herself being pulled away then nothing again. Finally all she felt was light, then darkness, then...

At the Metrocourt, Georgie was laughing, Brenda was right, the man was fun. He was also engaged to be married but his fiancee was in Madrid on a shoot and he hadn't wanted to eat along. Hearing her phone ringing, she apologized then said "This had better be important."

Frowning from where he was hiding, Johnny said "I need you at the office."

Looking at the man across from her she mouthed she was sorry then rolling her eyes said "I am on a date, can't this wait until tomorrow morning."

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" he snapped.

"What, are you here, spying on me?" she retorted. When said he couldn't see her face, she said then how would you know what I am doing?"

"The office, Georgie. In fifteen minutes, leave the date behind. He will only bore you to death."

Wanting to snap that maybe that was what she wanted she asked "Where is Jason?"

"Spending personal time with his family, which is why you and I are going to take care of this." he said playing the guilt card.

Jason watched as Jake tried to slip Adrianna a cookie, he said "Jake, she is too little to eat that."

"But they are really good and Mommy said I have to share." he said with a sigh.

Hiding his grin, Jason said "Why don't you share with mommy then?"

"Because Aunt Emily says that she can't have anymore. That she already at five daddy." he said with huge eyes. "She only let's us two at the most."

Hearing his phone ring, he listened as Georgie said "Sorry, Jason wrong number."

Hanging up, the girl groaned then looking at her 'date' said "I have to go and do this." 

"Do you want me to drive you over, I know that Brenda brought you here, she made sure to inform me." he said not adding that Brenda had expected their date to be interrupted and he had been warned that if it was work related to go with her, at least as far as the office. She wanted someone, he would guess Georgie's boss from the sounds of it to think that he was dating the very nice looking brunette.

Once there, getting a look at the man, Vince let himself be sent home quickly then called Brenda to say Mission accomplished.

Inside, Johnny saw the young woman pacing back and forth wearing an absolutely sexy skin skimming dress. "I can't believe you. You can't just send my date home like that."

"You work for me, so yes, I can. He was bothering me." he replied with huff then handed her the folder. "You are the one who agreed to work for us."

"I kind of wish you were still into things I could get you sent to jail for at this moment." she muttered. "Wait, until Brenda hears about this one. She was the one who introduced me to him."

"Yes, but Georgie, you weren't going to have a relationship with him, let alone get him into bed." he smirked. Georgie growled, she hadn't intended to do that, she had just once wanted to have date, a fun nice uncomplicated date but no, her boss had to ruin it. While she hadn't wanted to be there at first, she had liked Vince and it had reminded her how much fun she used to have dating.

"Georgie, he was..." Johnny had figured out the man was a set up when Brenda called him with the information she was at the Metrocourt on a date, now he was freaked, what if she hadn't been in on it and had actually liked this guy.

"I don't care Johnny. Now where is this file..." she demanded. She had had enough, tomorrow was her one year anniversary of working for Jason and his new company, well it would also be her last day.

When she had agreed to work for Jason, she had had no idea that the man she had had a crush on for years was his partner. Then they had ended up switching assistants. While the pay was good, Georgie now had enough to quit, to finish possibly going to law school and she couldn't wait.

Getting the feeling he had gone too far when he saw her tears, he said instead. "No, it's okay. I am sorry, Georgie, I can take care of it myself."

Glaring the woman said "No, it's too late. I might as well finish this up."

Feeling sick, Jason had told Johnny not to play games, but he had been trying to get her to see him as a man, not as a pal, not as her boss like she had for the last year, but simply as a man interested in her. He had planned to get her out to the cabin, to finally, finally lay it all on the line...like Elizabeth had recommended.

When she looked up the routing number, then made the call, Georgie said "Good night, Mr. Zachara."

"Georgie girl... look... I uh..." when he turned around he was the only person in the room. Swearing he followed the path to the garage and watched as she pulled out and drove away. Returning to the house, then deciding he needed to talk to her, tonight, he grabbed his keys and drove towards town.

At Vista Point, a mile away from his house, he saw her sitting in the cold on the hood of one of the company cars and slammed on the brakes. Pulling in, he saw she was crying. Opening the door, he ignored her snapping at him to let her go, he said "I am kidnapping you."

Once the shocked girl was in his passenger seat, he thought about it then drove them to his family cabin as the snow fell. "We are going to get stuck in this."

"No we won't." he replied even as he knew they would. Its where he had planned with Mac to bring her, so they could clear the air. Then just as they arrived, admitted. "You might be right."

When they were in front of the house, he said "Let's get inside."

"Johnny, we should turn around, and head home." she did not, most definitely did not want to spend the holidays stuck in a cabin as small as this one looked with this man.

"I don't think we will make it. Let's go inside and call your dad so he doesn't worry."

Once inside, Georgie looked around the living room then at the staircase, finally to where she could see the kitchen. At least it looked like there was more than just one bedroom she thought. "Here, call you dad."

Grumbling a bit, she called Mac and told him what was going on. "Wait, your sister wants to talk to you."

Maxie got on the phone, then took it to the kitchen. "Hey, what is going on?"

"Nothing. We are at some cabin and are stuck here. For Christmas." she said glaring at the man entering with a bag. "I am stuck, with my boss twenty six hours until Christmas in a cabin in the woods."

Maxie heard the stress and gave a sigh. Poor Georgie, she still hadn't dealt with this crush. She had suggested she sleep with another guy, even tried to set her up on dates, but instead, she was just falling deeper. Thinking on it, she said "Maybe this is your chance, to make him see you as someone other than.."

"Georgie girl." she said bitterly then glaring when Johnny returned with firewood. "Maxie, I can't do that. I will talk to you tomorrow. Wait, I don't have my charger on me."

Hanging up, she glared at the man starting the fire in the cold cabin. "NO central heat, huh?"

"None. We don't usually use this place in the winter. Those stove will work, it's on the generator and was filled last week. So unless we are stuck here for a month..."

"By that time, I will have done myself in," she muttered as she went to see what was upstairs and how she would keep warm... stopping at the top, she clunked her way down, glaring at him. "There are no bedroom's upstairs."

"Oh course not." he said "Like I said, we don't-"

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" she asked.

"Georgie, would you please calm down." he said. He had this brilliant idea, now it was going to blow up in his face, like his plan to ruin her date. "There is a bedroom over there but you do realize that there is only one fireplace. We both might need to sleep in here."

Looking around the cabin, yet again, Georgie opened the door to the bedroom then saw Johnny looking at her "What?"

"You might want to borrow one of my hoodies or something from in there. You have to be freezing." Georgie looked down at the party dress, then up at Johnny before closing the door and heading for the closet only to find no closet.

Hearing the door front door close, Georgie just started to yank open drawers then found women's clothes. When she heard Johnny again, she thought about it, not wanting to wear clothes some woman he had brought here had left... with a sigh, she opened the door. "Are these clothes Claudia's?"

Deciding not to lie, he said "No."

Debating between her pride and freezing, Georgie pulled out the jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Once they were on, she saw the sweater and thought to herself, well at least the woman had had decent tastes. In the other room, Johnny was hoping they fit, he had checked the sizes but Elizabeth had warned him that each style had a different fit and size at times.

Returning, she was pulling on a pair of his socks and he had to hide his laughter but when she had pulled one of the many throw blankets on her shoulders, he said "The fire should warm the room up soon. Are you hungry?"

"No, I ate on my date." she snapped. "Did you check the weather?"

"In the car. Onstar says we are screwed." he told her. "A blizzard, a bad one."

"We should conserved our cell phones, how about I turn my off for now." she suggested then watched as he went to the small kitchen and heated up water for making tea. Handing her a cup, he saw her surprise when she took a sip. 

"I can't believe it, Sing's red black." she said sipping yet again and moaning in pleasure. Why one earth.

A bit nervous, but knowing they had to talk, he asked "Why were you crying?".

Setting the mug down, she said "Because I a sick and tired of my life. Nothing is going to change until I do something to change it. No one with magical fairy dust is going to wave their wand and poof, my life becomes what I want."

"What do you want?" he asked softly, hoping to get some hint of the answer.

"Everything. A career. A family, one of my own, with a husband who doesn't run off to play secret agent, a couple of kids. Boys preferably." she said then seeing his expression said "After helping raise Maxie, I want an easier time with my own kids."

"You have a career, at least I thought so." he said.

"Yes, but I think I want more. I want to go back to Europe someday, to show my children all the incredible stuff I have seen." she said. "I want to do nothing more than to have a place like this, nearby to bring them. So they can see nature as well."

"Me too." he said quietly. "Georgie, I have been screwing this up for so long. Jason tried to warn me, so did his wife. They both said to talk, to be honest about things. I need to do that. I can't waste another year in misunderstanding and miscommunication."

"With who?" she asked confused.

"You." he said then seeing her shock he added quickly. "When we met, it wasn't the best of circumstances. I was there with a stolen invitation, trying to prevent my dad from killing someone just for me talking to them. You, you seemed to be dealing with some stuff and yet."

"Wait, you were the one who stole Scott Baldwin's invitation." she said with a laugh. 

"Yes." he said remembering the man's fury at not finding it. "And then we kept running into one another, and Georgie, I was attracted to you, but you didn't seem to notice I was even a guy, heck you tried to set me up on a date with your sister."

"What is wrong with Maxie?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing, but like I told you then, I didn't want to date the older Jones sister. I just don't get why you didn't realize that I mean I liked you." he said looking at her.

Georgie felt her jaw drop, then she reached for her tea, needing something in her hands because he had just shocked the hell out of her. Then she asked "If you were so attracted to me, then why the heck were you letting Olivia feel you up in a bar, then go upstairs with a woman old enough to be your mother?"

Mentally swearing he said "Because I saw you with Matt, I thought the two of you were dating and I just decided to go and get shitfaced since I had clearly no chance with you. She hit on me, I just let her."

Looking down, she said "I liked you too, then."

His eyes came up, he heard the hurt tone in her voice and said "Then why didn't you say something."

"I was at the bar getting change and there was this guy I liked sitting there, with a smug woman cupping his rather obvious erection in the middle of Jake's. Yet I AM SUPPOSED to be able to figure out that you like me?" she asked not believing what he was saying.

He almost told her what had caused the problem was her, in that outfit she had been wearing on what he had thought was a date, but decided that wouldn't be the wisest move he ever made. "I thought I lost you, I didn't give a damn, I had spent almost a year, looking for just one smidgen of proof you liked me... I gave up, dammit. She knew she was a replacement and didn't give a damn."

Standing Georgie walked with her tea closer to the fire. "I went to Italy that fall, dating various guys and hating you. I would try to get over what I swore was a crush, then I saw you when I came home, then again for the fundraiser, I saw you with her at the hospital."

"She asked me for a ride home." he said moving closer to where she was. "Georgie, we were sex partners every once in a while, it wasn't exclusive, she could have slept with anyone, I wouldn't have cared. I just would get soused and sometimes she would be there. Making my pain go away." 

Wishing that it had been her, Georgie sat her now empty mug down on the mantle and said "That was so long ago, things change, don't they." 

"Some things do. One hasn't." he said. Then closing his eyes, and praying Elizabeth was right he admitted. "I am still in love with someone who doesn't feel that way about me." 

Turning she said "I wish that was the case. I do love you, I wish I didn't because I know what I look like, I know that most people consider me boring. How long, after spending time with me, before that love fades. Johnny. I. Do. I love you." 

Closing his eyes, he said thank you to whoever was listening then slid his arms around her waist and pulled her onto the sofa in front of him. Leaning down to kiss her quickly on the lips, he saw her pull back a bit disappointed and said "For now, because if I kiss you like I want, I will be breaking a promise to your dad. So for tonight, we will stay here, together, my mind thinking off all the ways I can kiss you, then tomorrow, after I go out and turn on the generator for the heater." 

"There is a heater?" she asked slowly. When he moaned yes as she reached up and caressed his hair, she pulled his head down and into a teased him with a kiss. When their lips slowly pulled apart, she said "You are going to be in so much trouble tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" he asked his mind already returning to kissing her and his lips soon followed.

When they parted again, gasping for breath, she said "Tomorrow, but for tonight, kisses will just have to keep me warm."

Jason waited until the kids were tucked in bed fast asleep before going to find his wife. Seeing her fixing the lights on the tree, he kissed her neck then said "I still think that they look better in the woods."

Laughing lightly, she said "Then you can be the one to tell our children that there will be no Christmas tree next year."

Shuddering theatrically he said. "I would rather face Sonny off his meds than our children with that news."

When they settled down on the carpet in front of the sofa, he said "I was thinking what do you say about spending a week in bed?"

Leaning over to kiss him, she was breathless when she pulled back and said "Sounds good to me, but what about the children? I could call your mother, or maybe Emily." Jason had pulled her onto his lap and was soon undoing the buttons on her light green sweater. When he found the turtleneck underneath, he said "I love summer, less clothes to remove.

"They don't call it under armor for nothing." she replied as she lifted her shirt by it's hem and pulled it over her head. She was finally getting her arms untangled while Jason was already unsnapping her bra. When he ducked his head to nip his way down her neck to the tips, she arched her back to make her breasts more easily accessible.

"Ummmm." was all he said as he lifted her onto the sofa. Lowering his head to kiss her, he used his hand to cup and mold her while teasing her tip with his thumb. Pulling back to admire his handiwork, he was licking his lips just as they heard the phone ring.

"Ignore it." she said as he went to latch on to one of the rosy points, just as there was a knock on the door.

"Ignore it." he repeated her advice only for someone to pound loudly. Groaning he said "I will get that, you better find out who called."

Elizabeth grabbed her bra and sweater before hurrying up the stairs, seeing it was Emily who had been calling went to call the mansion while down stairs, Jason tried to get some of his fabled control back.

Opening the door, Jason saw Mac Scorpio standing there with the DA and looking grim. "Why am I having a bad feeling about this visit?"

"Can we come in." he said. When they were seated, Mac said "Sonny was found dead, or rather part of him was found dead."

"Mac, you know that I no longer have anything to do with the man." he started to say.

"That isn't why were are here, it's that we have to tell his family. Jason, all that was found well I went home and found his head on my dresser." stated the older looking man dressed like the lawyer he was. "Along with a note that the body would never be found and not to bother wasting precious resources looking for it."

Swearing a bit, Jason looked at Mac and said "I have no idea, none."

"Me either, but I have to go and tell Dante, then Michael and am not looking forward to telling Alexis." he said. "She has been at the hospital. Molly had surgery today. She is doing better but Sam McCall died."

Looking at the man, Jason said "Are you going to prosecute her?"

"I would, mainly because this is the second time she has gotten away with murder, possibly the third." he said looking at the DA. "She killed Luis Alcazar, claimed temporary insanity, I have never believed it. Then there were the rumors about the Katherine Belle death, the original one. I have heard that Luke was trying to kill Helena."

"Then why would you suspect Ms. Davis?" asked the DA."

"Frankly because Spencer wasn't that smart, the plan would have worked, except that Helena was arguing with Katherine on the parapet, Katherine stumbled and fell instead of Helena." said Mac. "I have never hand any proof of her involvement and as for Spencer that is one I have tried to find proof of but Nik never let me really investigate." 

"Regarding Ms. McCall, the most I could get would be manslaughter, and I doubt a jury would convince because Alexis' attorney would bring in what Sam has done and there isn't a jury in the world that would convict. I am going to talk to her, make it clear that she should be prosecuted but that she is getting away with it for one reason only." 

Elizabeth got off the phone with Emily just as Jason came up the stairs. Seeing him tossing his t-shirt on the dresser, then starting to undo his jeans, she pulled off her sweater only for him to say "No bra?"

"Why bother?" she said as they quickly got rid of their clothes. Jason was easing her down on the bed and lowering his head yet again when they heard Adrianna crying out. "Oh little girl, I really want to give you a baby sister but you aren't cooperating with me."

Laughing, Elizabeth reached for her sweater, only for Jason to grab it away and then toss her his shirt. Pressing a hard kiss to his lips, she went to take care of their little girl while he just laid back on their bed and counted all the ways he intended to have her that evening.

Alexis walked into Sam's old room, removed her few personal items then walked down to the morgue. Once there, she asked to see her late daughter, then sat there, watching the stillness and touching her now cold body. "I am so sorry, Sam. If I had raised you, or even found you sooner, who knows, maybe your life would have been different. I tried, I really tried to love you. I did care, just some part of me, some part of me couldn't let go of the fantasy I had about my child and come to embrace who you really were, warts and all." 

Wiping the tears that were falling, she leaned down and kissed her on the forehead saying. "But you can take one thing to your grave, you, your daughter is beautiful. She will grow up to be the person I had always hoped you would be. I am not talking about a specific career, or even marrying someone I approve of. Your daughter, will learn morals, she will learn there is a difference between right and wrong... all the things I couldn't give you." 

Walking back, she took out the letter she had prepared along with her will and then made the call. "Mac, can you come to the hospital. I have to talk to you. You might need to bring one of your detectives as well." 

Mac tried to tell her he was already there when she hung up. Walking with the DA up to the correct floor, he found the woman sitting in the waiting room, patiently. "Alexis?" 

Taking a deep breath, she said "I killed my daughter." 

"Alexis, let me get you an attorney." he said hastily. "Don't say another word."

With a bittersweet smile, she said "Mac, thank you, truly and I am sure you are not going to be happy at my next request, but please, here, read."

Looking at the legal papers, then frowning at the letter then looking at her said "Alexis, what is this?"

"The reason I was so insistent of saving Molly... on not having Kristina here was this, this moment. My cancer is back. It is spreading to my heart. I don't have long. I knew last year." she said with knowing look at Mac. "That is why I am imposing on you like I am about to."

The DA took the papers from the suddenly lifeless hands of the police commissioner. Reading them, he said "Is all of this accurate?"

"I don't think I left anything out. I so wanted to be better than my family, then Helena or my father, but in the end I have less than a week to live. I know that you could toss me in a jail cell, I would understand if you did." 

The DA thought about it then said "I will hold this, say we are investigating. Alexis, you have my sympathy."

"Alexis, are you sure about this?" Mac asked his eyes tearing up. "I mean... what about.."

"No, I am certain. Mac, you have raised three very wonderful young women. Maxie was a handful, but that was one of the reasons I am doing this. You have dealt with some of the most horrific things a father can deal with short of losing a child. My daughters, well with who their parents are they need someone like you. There are a few things. I have money set up." 

"Alexis." she placed her hand on his arm and interrupted. "No, I know that you are quite capable and that is why I am asking this. There is a back up in place, I know you aren't getting any younger, well none of us are."

"Don't worry about it." Mac said quietly. "I would be honored but I do have to admit that I wish you had come to me sooner."

"I couldn't, I was aware that if you knew, you would be required to stop the stem cell transfer." she said with her daughter's future in mind. "Now, as for Nicolina, Mac, she is going to be the one you have to worry about. Someday she is going to find out about her mother. I worry about that day." 

Stephen Webber walked over, then said quietly to Alexis"Are you ready to be admitted now?"

Nodding yes, she followed him to the hospital room, then almost tripped as she felt what little strength she had left give away. She had been fighting and hiding this for so long, that it had almost been a relief to let her body give in to its inevitable conclusion.

Steven walked to the hallway, then told Mac. "She has maybe a week at most. Now, I know that you are taking on quite a burden but there is a little baby girl, who hasn't been held, who has had none of the usual mother/ father contact and for her sake, someone, needs to be there for her."

The DA watched as Mac nodded and followed him. Then reading the note Alexis had given him, he made the call. "Ms. Miller, Alexis Davis requested that you open the letter she wrote to you."

The red head slipped out of her bed, then downstairs to her office. Opening the letter, she read stunned at what the woman had wrote. Sitting there, she debated what to do then went to get dressed. Seeing all the snow, she called her most favorite client and Jason who sounded a bit frustrated at the interruption promised to arrange for a snow mobile to be there in twenty minutes.

When she arrived at GH, after getting scolded by Epiphany Johnson for coming out on a night like this, took the offered hot cocoa and then closing her eyes to pray, got it together then walked up the stairs. One the correct floor, she saw Mac Scorpio sitting in the newborn area, holding a little girl and telling her all about his daughters and niece and her older sisters.

"Mac?" she said approaching the man. Sitting down next to him, she took the offered bundle and said "Alexis asked me to help."

His eyes meeting hers, he said "I might just need it. The first three times I screwed up a bit." 

"Yet the girls never seemed to scarred." she teased. "What little I knew of your niece and what I do know about your daughters well they are wonderful young women. Have you told them yet?" 

"No." he said with a sigh. "Maxie is determined to have the perfect Christmas, poor Matt is scared she is going to attempt to cook again." 

Having heard about the young doctor getting his stomach pumped during his first year with Maxie and her determination to cook him dinner, Diane certainly understood that. "What about Georgie?"

"She is off in the woods, hopefully by the time she returns home Johnny and she have figured out how to admit that they are in love with each other. Because if they haven't, I am locking them in one of my jail cells together." he said looking at the sleeping little girl and smiling.

Diane asked him was on his mind. "I just had an awkward thought, I am about to be a father again, yet there is a dang good chance I will be a grandfather in the next couple of years."

It was almost dawn when Johnny reluctantly slide from under the covers where he had spent one of the most enjoyable nights of his life and yet all they had done was kiss. Grabbing his boots, he tied them up, then went to find his coat and some gloves.

Walking out the front door, and holding a flashlight just in case, he soon had the heat turned on. He was about to head back in when he decided to save himself a trip later and went to the trunk of his car and removed the box and carried it to the porch, then made a couple more trips.

Once inside, he saw that Georgie was slowly awakening and went to stick what he had brought in upstairs and under the pool table before heading back downstairs. His teeth were chattering in spite of the heat starting to kick on and he hurriedly went to grab one of the comforters only to feel warm arms surround him and pull him back to the sofa.

"Here, let me warm you back up." she said then gently kissed his slightly bruised lips before laughing and saying. "My lips are sore. I didn't know you could bruise them, did you?"

Just tucking her in under the covers, he was rubbing his hands on her back and then said "If your lips are bruised, maybe we should behave for the day."

Her voice thickening as she thought about it, she then said "Haven't you heard the  
best way to get rid of an ache caused by exercising an unused muscle is one the second day to gradually ease back into the activity that caused the ache."

Jason woke up to his wife easing over his hips and sliding his already hard erection inside of her. When she moaned with pleasure, he grasped those hips within reach and said in a slightly sleepy voice "are you sure they don't have our house bugged."

Laughing and ending up falling forward a bit, causing the angle of his penetration to change just enough to make her moan in enjoyment, Elizabeth listened to Jason gasp when she tightened her Kegel muscles and slide downwards taking him in even deeper. "If they do, why don't we show them what they are missing."

Pulling her down, so that he could capture her lips in a kiss, he rolled them over until she was underneath him and raised her thighs until they were now encircling his hips. Bracing his arm just a bit, Jason looked into her eyes and said "You asked for it."

"No, not yet." she said with a smirk, then when he lowered his head to kiss her she turned her lips quickly to his ear, gave it a light kiss then said "Jason, show me how wet and satisfied you can make me."

With a knowing grin, he leaned back on his knees a bit, positioned his wife so she would have no control of what he did, then lifted her legs until they were resting on his shoulder, then grasped her hips and pulled back out of her.

"Jason." she moaned then when she started to talk, it turned into a gasp as he reentered without warning, hard and fast, then again and again. She lost track of the thrusts when he pulled out, the moved one of his hands to her stomach, then with his other caressed his way down her leg and cupped her. 

When their eyes met, he teased her clit with his thumb then slid his middle finger inside her tightness and removed it. Shaking his head in disappointment, he licked the wetness of his finger then said. "No, not wet enough."

An hour later, her head buried in her pillow to contain her loud moans, Elizabeth shrieked when she felt her body orgasm yet again, her back arching, her legs clenching. What made it different was this time she could fell Jason's own body losing control. When he stiffened then sped up, she clenched at the muscles in his back as he came while buried inside of her.

His body went limp with exhaustion, his arms now feeling like spaghetti, Jason rolled them back into their original position and whispered "How was that for a Christmas present."

"I am not going to be able to get out of this bed." she moaned then laughed saying. "I always said you were the most original gift giver."

Kissing his wife, he said "What do we have planned for today?"

"Um, let's see. The hospital Christmas party and you have to go and see Michael and co." she said gently. "I will be busy dealing with the caterers then tonight, we can reopen this present."

"Sounds good to me." he said his voice thickening with desire. Just as he went to kiss her, he saw his phone buzzing and picked it up. "Zachara this had better be damn important."

"Georgie and I are at the cabin, we will be out of reach until the New Years Eve party." he said. Jason could hear a gasp, then his partner trying to hide his moan with a cough.

"I guess that means you got things straightened out with Georgie?" he asked then heard a dial tone as he tossed the phone back down and went to chase after his wife who had dared to slide out of bed and go to take a shower alone.

"I thought we had a deal when we had this shower built." he said letting himself into the large shower stall. "That we would always share."

Holding up the lathered up loofah from where she was sitting on the bench, she said "I have been waiting for you to get in here what took you so long?"

At the Cabin, another shower was being used, alas only by one but Johnny didn't mind. Georgie had decided that since they were staying she would cook them some breakfast, then ordered him to take a shower to warm up, that he was still shivering in spite of her best efforts.

Dressing quickly in spite of the warmth now flooding the cabin, he was in the kitchen just as his now girl friend placed the food on the table. When he saw her frowning at the clothes, he said "Do you not like them? I asked Elizabeth were to get them."

She sat down next to him, then said "I just felt weird borrowing some ex-girl friend of yours clothes, now that I know that... wait... this isn't by accident, our being here, is it?" 

"No, I have been planning this for a few months. I uh, I was choking on the words, they just kept tripping out of my mouth wrong, but I was going to get us marooned and hopefully we would be table to talk." he admitted.

Kissing his cheek, she went to the refrigerator and then looked in the cupboards then said "We are missing a few things, but I think we can have a very good dinner without turkey and a few perishable."

When the crazy man stood and dashed out into the freezing weather wearing nothing but a t-shirt and no shoes, she went to chase after him but he had only gone as far as the porch and returned with a cooler, "Turkey and the fixings. I figured it was cold enough outside that it would be fine overnight."

Shaking her head in amusement, she said "Hurry up and sit down."

Grabbing the kitchen towel, she tossed it in the over for a few minutes then wrapped it around his feet that were starting to warm up. When he pulled her across his lap, then buried his head into her shoulder she said "Oh no. I have to call Maxie."

"Here." he said lifting his phone. When she dialed her sisters' number, he slowly unbuttoned the sweater she was wearing and eased his cold hand inside. When she jumped, he pretended innocence then whispered just as she went to talk. "My hands were cold too."

"Whose hands?" asked the woman on the phone then when Georgie said Hello, Maxie replied. "Do you have time to talk?"

Looking at Johnny who nodded, she laid her head on his shoulder then listened to what Maxie had to say. "Let me get this straight, Sonny's head was found at the DA's house, Alexis is dying and dad is going to take in her daughters. Oh, and Sam thankfully died."

"Uh, yeah," said Maxie feeling bad about laughing in regards to Sam.

"Okay, look, do me a favor. There is a package that is supposed to arrive, can you keep it for me."

"Would that be the very enthusiastic puppy that chewed on my favorite pair of black pumps." said Maxie glaring at the dog who was now laying his head down on her feet as if in apology. "Since when do you want a dog."

"He is a Christmas present for dad, it was so he wouldn't be lonely at the house now that we were all adults." said Georgie groaning in part because she now didn't know what to do with the dog and partly because Johnny was now sliding his hands under her bra and 'warming' his hands as he cupped her.

"Tell her to keep him, that we will need a dog." said Johnny.

Holding her hand over the speaker, not noticing that Maxie could still hear them. "Why do we need a dog?"

"Practice, so that we can get used to the idea of being parents together someday." he said then seeing her shock, took the phone and said "Maxie, we will be back to Port Charles to pick up.. wait, what are you planning on naming him and what kind of dog is he. I mean, I really can't see myself walking a poodle. I mean, I love you, but I don't think it would be good for my image to be...?"

Maxie was in shock as she mouthed the words parents at the dog who lifted his head then seemed to shrug at her and return to using her feet as a pillow. Meanwhile Georgie said "I don't know, how about something cute like Spot or Brownie? And he is a scooby doo dog."

"You mean a Great Dane?" he asked incredulously . "Do you know how big that thing is going to get?"

Nodding enthusiastically, she realized her movements were creating some friction where his hands were still cupping her. Taking back the phone, she said "Maxie, there is food in the garage, and the rest of the stuff. I also have presents for everyone in my room. Dad included, I just saw the poor sweet leftover puppy at the pound, someone dumped them off and I had to bring him home. The vet was..."

Maxie heard dial tone and vowed to make someone buy her a pair of shoes then looked at the dog and said "Okay, well since they didn't give me a name, I am going to call you Chewy, how do you like that?"

When the puppy scampered after her, then barked she said with a laugh, "Okay, chewy it is." 

Over the next two days, things were closed down, Elizabeth never got to take the kids to the hospital party as it was canceled, Jason didn't get to talk face to face with Michael or Sonny's other kids... those that hadn't gotten their holiday shopping done were now out of luck as eight feet of snow had fallen on Port Charles.

Maxie had been stuck alone at the Scorpio house since Matt had been called in to the hospital and her father had been busy at the station and at the hospital. The Quartermaines and Elizabeth's family was upset that they weren't able to spend time with the children, but were glad when Jason and she called on Christmas morning.

In a hospital room, Alexis held on, not wanting her daughter's holiday memories to be sadly connected with her death. Kristina had been brought to see her, Molly had woken up. They were both allowed to spend as much time as possible with the dying woman and they had also gone to see their newest relation.

Molly had taken Sam's death hard, mainly because she had frequently sat in her comatose sister's room, taking to her. Kristina who was a little older and more mature was now scared, she had been told that Mac was going to take them in, but she hated feeling like she was being fostered out.

"Mom, please, please, don't die. Please!" she begged. When Mac had sat her down and told her about Sonny, she had cried but said "I am going to be fine, you don't have to stay with me."

"I don't have to, but I want to." he said. Then walking her down the hall, showed her Nicolina and then made a point of telling her about Robin, about Maxie and Georgie, she had already known that story but getting that he was doing this because he wanted to, didn't make it any easier to face that she was about to be an orphan.

At the Morgan household, the holiday was spent as a family, with Jake and Cameron playing with their new toys and trying to get their newest sibling to do something, anything but so far all she did was eat and poop as far as they could tell.

Watching all three of her boys while she feed Adrianna, Elizabeth felt sad for poor pathetic Sam, the woman had died with nothing in the end. Her child, the one thing that Sam had wanted most, had lived but Sam had never gotten to hold her, never even known the baby's name.

Seeing Jason was looking worried at her quietness, she just leaned over and said "I was giving thanks for what we have, our family, our love and most importantly the peace we have found." 

Taking Adrianna he held her to his shoulder, gently patting her back so she would fall asleep, he pulled Elizabeth down next to him on the floor as the two boys build the race track, Jake patiently handing the pieces to his older brother who was biting his tongue which was sticking out as he concentrated on putting the child's track together.

When done, they waited as their dad put their little sister in her daybed then excitedly had him make sure that Cam had done everything correctly then they sat down and chose what cars to race while Jason handed Elizabeth the camera and moved over to join them. "I don't see a motorcycle Cam, did Santa forget to bring one?"

"Daddy, this isn't that kind of track." he said laughi ng then offered up the green car. "Mommy said it was yours favorite color."

Looking at Elizabeth wearing the green sweater set he had gotten her, he said "Yes it is. Now, we have to have Mommy to say when."

As the boys and their dad raced, the snow continued to fall outside, as inside the warmth of the Morgan home came from the love they shared did more to heat them then the fireplace and furnace.

Five years later.

"Mom, hurry." said a twelve year old Cam as they exited the elevator. "Dad is already there."

Eight year old Jake and 5 year old Adri were trying to takeover pushing the stroller, thinking that their mom was going slow because she was tired. They had heard her telling their dad so that morning. "DAD!" There were shouts, then the younger two looked at their mom then rushed off to hug Jason as he left the board room.

Picking up the two of them, Jason gave them both kisses then said "What has the two of you so happy?"

"Daddy, tomorrow is Christmas." said Adri. "Plus, Mommy said we were going on a trip."

"Are you planning on deserting us, Jason?" asked Johnny as he left his office. When he had greeted the Morgan family including two year old Sienna, he told the older three. "Georgie is in her office."

When they had gone to see Johnny's wife, Jason said "Did you take care of it?"

"Two puppies, are you sure?" he asked doubtfully. Chewy was still enamored with shoes, five years later in spite of all of Maxie's dog obedience training. When they had finally arrived at the Scorpio residence six days the newly engaged couple had found her sister had been snowed in with only the dog and that they had bonded. Maxie had made it dang clear they weren't taking her pal.

Georgie had been skeptical until Maxie had offered to let Georgie return the very nice purse she had brought for her older sister and let her keep the dog instead. That Maxie would give up a Kate Spade original in exchange for a dog that drooled had shocked the whole family and convinced Georgie to let her have both.

"It was Elizabeth's idea." said Jason. He had suggested getting the children dogs, then she had been talking to Diane the day that Maxie had called. Chewy had been a very bad dog and had been spending time with a pedigree female dog. Maxie was now being sued by the owners unless she took care of the puppies. The blond had been frantic, she had finally convinced Chewy that chewing on her shoes was bad, and now the dog only ate Matt's shoes, she didn't want to have to start that again with two more dogs.

Georgie whispered her secret in Elizabeth's ear then went to join her husband. "We had better get going. Jason, don't forget to give Alice the keys to your car."

"We can take them from the garage around nine thirty, if you will still be out that late." he said with a knowing grin at the glowing young woman. She had gone into law practice with Diane a few years ago when she had finally graduated from law school, now Johnny had given him the news regarding their new addition.

"We should be leaving for the cabin about then." she replied then dragged her husband out of the office. "We have to go, no more delaying."

"But Georgie, she will be there." he whined. "She lives there."

"I think you can handle it, like Diane said, if you can't do the time, don't commit the crime." she smirked at her husband. He had come to see her at the office the day before Halloween, and soon had had her on her desk with no clothes on. Unfortunately, Diane had stopped in to give Georgie a heads up on her father's behalf and had seen way more than she wanted to of the couple.

"Why isn't she mad at you." he groused as he followed his wife to their car. "You were just as naked."

"Because I wasn't the one who started to seduce you." she said then kissing him said "Oh, you poor baby, I promise, when we get to the cabin, we can recreate our first night together."

Moaning at the memories, he said "Let's go get this over with."

At the Scorpio household, Niccy was trying to get her daddy to let her help cook, as her sister Molly complained about having had to be an elf earlier that day. Meanwhile Kristina and her brother Michael entered the house. "Dad, is it okay that Michael stays for dinner?" 

"Sure." he said then asked "I thought you were going to talk to Ethan about your car?" 

"He was busy." she replied not adding that the car was an excuse, she had liked the Australian the moment he had arrived in town, but he had been with one or another woman since arriving in town. Looking around she said "Where is everyone?"

"Maxie and Matt are putting the Morgan boys puppies in the boxes she got, Georgie and Johnny are on their way and Patrick dropped Emma off before going to get her special present."

Diane came into the room, then handed the two teenagers the directions to the electronics she just bought and said "Have at it."

Kissing his wife, Mac stopped Niccy from sticking her fingers in the pie and lifted her out of the chair, walking to where Molly was trying to read the directions on the new iPod she had just been given he said "Your turn."

The teenager rolled her eyes when she saw the mess on Niccy's face then said "Why does she have chocolate all over her?"

"Maxie." was all Mac said then watched as Molly took Niccy to wash her face. Then he asked Michael if he had a moment. When they were in the kitchen, he asked about Morgan and how they were doing with the anniversary of their dad's death.

Michael explained that he was fine, that Jax had taken the whole family to Australia where it was summer. "I was invited but I had an assignment for work and didn't want anyone to think I was getting special treatment from Jax just because he is my dad."

Emily was just about to knock on the Morgan family's door then looked at the man beside her. "I just don't know about this. I mean, Jason knows about you, you said he told Elizabeth."

Johnny O' Brien reached down and kissed his wife. "Everything will be fine. I called Jason, gave him a heads but made him promise not to tell Elizabeth, I know you wanted to do that yourself." 

Hearing noises, Elizabeth opened the door knowing that there guards would have warned them if anything dangerous was going on. "EMILY!"

Hearing the sound of running footsteps, the Emily felt the arms of three kids encircling her and all shouting her name. "HELP!"

Standing back and letting her tribe greet her best friend and sister in law, Elizabeth walked over to the man in the shadows and said "Get inside, Mr. O'Brien."

"Lizzie." he said with a wry grin. When she reached out and pulled him inside, he asked "Are you sure, I am officially notorious."

Getting a hold of the beautiful woman, he said "I will leave you with Em, she has some news."

Moving closer, Elizabeth said quietly, "Jason warned me, we don't keep secrets, none."

"Then you know..." he said soberly. "What I did?"

Hugging him, she whispered "Carly and Sonny Corinthos got what they deserved and his children are better off with him gone. Dante is married and happy in spite of having Tracy as a grandmother in law."

"That old bat of a mother of his was perfect training ground. She did some stuff, that makes me see what Carly would have been like when Michael was older." Johnny had never told Jason his part in the Lucky and Luke mess, but was sure that he was aware what had been done. 

Shuddering, Elizabeth soon had her children off to play then took Emily to the family room. Sitting in front of the fireplace and drinking their special hot drink, they got caught up. "I am sorry, but I just was so scared at what you would think... I mean, he warned me, then sat me down and told me all he did."

"How did you deal with that." Elizabeth asked Emily. "Considering everything with Sonny."

"Strangely enough, fine. I just feel bad, but then I know that Michael is working on his own future, one he wouldn't have had if Sonny had lived. Morgan, well I doubt he would be as well adjusted as he is." said Emily with a heavy sigh. "I mean, look at Kristina, she has blossomed with having Mac Scorpio as a dad. Though, Alexis and Diane, other than the same profession, not really a comparison. Alexis, was too controlling, too high strung."

"I was shocked when they started to date, in awe when she convinced him to marry her." said Elizabeth recalling the day the red head had hand cuffed herself to the police commissioner, pointing out they were practically living in sin. Mac had given in, said yes, then had joked that since she had asked, did that mean he got the engagement ring. 

While waiting for his wife, Matt sat down and read that week's People magazine then asked his wife when she came in. "Since when do you buy this?" 

"Oh, there was an article in there. Remember that computer geek, you know Damien Spinelli, he used to live here a few years ago, he is in an article. He just sold his computer company for a fortune and went to work creating games instead. I just wanted to show Georgie." she said tossing it back on the table. "I need to talk to you about something.

Okay." he said then when she had sat down, he watched as she took a deep breath then said "I want to adopt a baby."

"Do you have a specific child in mind?" he asked his wife. He knew that she loved being a big sister to the Davis/Scorpio girls, that she loved being an aunt to Emma, but both had known when they got married that they might not be able to have kids of their own.

"No, but how do you feel about us finding out what we need to do?" she asked.

"Well, we have an attorney on retainer." he pointed out. "We also have a good chance." 

"I was a bit worried, with my past." she said lamely. "Elizabeth Morgan said if it came up, to send them to her. I have been seeing babies and kids a lot, I would be happy if it was an older child; maybe that would be better, after all, I know about being screwed up and could probably related better to a child like that." 

Telling Mac and Diane as well as the girls at dinner, Maxie saw Johnny trying to get Georgie to say something then figured it out. Squealing in excitement, she said "Georgie, are you having a baby?"

"Nope, it's an alien. I saw the picture." said Molly with a sideways smirk at the pregnant woman. "Dr. Lee had me help her bring the equipment back to the other room and I saw the file. I read it, but I was already punished."

"What do you mean?" asked Mac looking warily at the teenager.

Shuddering she announced. "They made me help in the daycare. Maxie, Georgie congrats, but please, dear lord, please, don't ask me to babysit as long as they wear diapers."

Lifting Niccy onto her lap, Maxie asked the little girl with the straight black hair what she thought about all this.

"I want a horse, but a baby is okay, if it's a girl." she said glaring at Johnny who was trying not to laugh. "Boys eat worms."

That night at the now annual Quartermaine Christmas party, the Morgan's, were joined by the now growing Jax family. Brenda was holding their twin girls and Jax and Morgan were trying to keep his four year old sister from eating the decorations.

Hearing laughter, they saw Monica and Elizabeth's rather elderly grandmother pointing at something, then heard barking just before the two puppies chased into the room with tinsel streaming behind them, ran straight at Maxie and then around the room. When Cam and Jake finally helped the various male guests corral the dogs, Elizabeth regained her breath from falling down in laughter and looked at the destruction. "Monica, I am so..."

"You know, you might be believable if you weren't laughing." said her mother in law who then saw what had Elizabeth so hysterical. "Should we tell him."

"No, let him figure it out himself." she said as the tinsel stuck to Jason's rear end. There was laughter, there were tears, mainly from young Niccy when she found out that HER puppy wasn't there. Adri generously offered to let her play with theirs while she went to talk to her Uncle Steven who was talking to a nurse from GH.

As the five generations of Port Charles families, gathered, Edward who had moved off to the side to avoid the melee looked around, grateful to be alive as he realized his life was coming full circle.

When his latest great grandchild toddled over and held out her hand to be lifted, he was about to bend when a blond head now with a slight trace of gray lifted the little girl who had her mother's curls but her great grandmother's eyes, Edward looked at his grandson, then around at the friends and family gathered to celebrate with their family.

"It's a wonderful dream, son. Your father would be so happy with the life you have found."

Reaching out, grasping the elderly man's arm, Jason said "It's not a dream, it's my reality and I am so grateful everyday that what I am living is just that life, it's messy, it's aggravating at times, but at the end of the day, when I am home listening to my children, reading with Elizabeth, or even just taking out the trash, that I wasn't the coward I believed I would be."

Going over to where Elizabeth and a few of the women were talking, he drew his wife to the window just as the snow started to fall. Kissing her he said "I was talking to Edward, and something occurred to me. Something I have never said to you."

Seeing the softness, in her eyes, then kissing her gently. "Thank you, thank you for taking the chance that was once too big to take."

"How could I not,, look what we have gained." she said as their sons let their new puppies loose. Their older daughter was playing with Niccy Scorpio who looked a lot like her father but had none of her parents selfishness. Then at Sienna was holding onto Edward fascinated with the older man's gray hair. "We are a family, a large slightly chaotic family."

Someone had hit the play button again on the stereo and music was softly playing as in the sky, a star show shined brightly. Lila looked down, grateful for joy her family had gained. Things could have gone so differently all those years ago, but she had gotten lucky, somehow, her grandson had found the strength to win the heart of the woman he loved. Bringing peace to the wounded heart of a man in a world he had never belonged, had brought peace to a small harbor town in upstate New York.

The end.


End file.
